Everything You Deserve
by DemetriaFeels
Summary: Eight years ago, Alex and Mitchie began a journey. Now, get ready to come home again. / TRILOGY TO FOR BETTER OR WORSE AND SHARING A DREAM.
1. Coming Home

**Hello, everyone. I know it's been a while. For those of who have not read my previous stories _For Better or Worse_ or _Sharing a Dream_ , I am sad to inform you that this is the third installment in that series. So this story will make no sense to you without having read those two. I would love if you read them now, and hopefully find your way back. If not, that's okay, too.**

 **For those of you who read the first two and are returning, _welcome back_. This is a story that has always been in my head but I never thought I would write. But after losing my way and falling out of love with writing, I found myself wanting to revisit these characters. I felt I needed to write this, for me. For me to remember why I wrote in the first place. But I also realized that this story is for you, the readers, who enjoyed the first two. Who continue to go back to them. Who made it worth it to write them in the first place. So this is my thank you. Please enjoy.**

 **Ladies, gents, or whatever you identify as, I give you** _Everything You Deserve_ **(the** _ **For Better Or Worse TRILOGY).**_

 **Pairing: Mitchie/Alex (with Sam- OC)**

 **As always, I own nothing.**

* * *

The room was still and dark, slips of light barely peeking in through heavy, navy curtains. The only sounds heard were deep, slumbering breaths of the two sleeping women in the king-sized four-poster bed. Twenty-five-year-olds Alex and Mitchie Torres-Russo slept soundly.

Alex's arm was wrapped around Mitchie's torso, pulling her lover close. They'd grown accustomed to sleeping entangled in each other in the early stages of their relationship. Back then they were sharing a double bed, so there wasn't much room to share to begin with, but they also craved each other's touch even when they slept. Now they owned a California king bed, the largest bed possible, and they still didn't feel the need to spread out and give each other space. They slept in the very middle of the mattress, Mitchie's back usually pressed into the familiar curve of Alex's body. It was how they slept together the first night they ever spent with each other, and not a night went by since then without them cuddling in some way, shape, or form.

The bedroom door crept open slowly, creaking slightly. Tiny, bare feet padded across the plush carpeted floor, followed by a set of paws.

Eight-year-old Samuel crawled into his mothers' bed as gently as he could, trying not to stir either Mitchie or Alex. From the floor a small dog whined in protest of being left there. Sam turned and shushed him quietly. The dog tilted his head and looked at the boy with wonder but quieted all the same. He put his paws back on the floor and started to scratch behind his odd, large ears that stood straight up. His name tag swung from his collar, the name T-Rex etched across it.

Sam sighed in relief and crawled over to his mothers. He had climbed in on Alex's side, and when he reached her she stirred slightly as the bed dipped under her son's weight. Sam held his breath as Alex shifted, let out a sigh, and tightened her grip on Mitchie. After a moment she stilled again, and Sam smiled mischievously. They looked peaceful. It would be a shame if someone were to… ruin it…

"Moms!" Sam yelled loudly, jerking his parents awake.

"Jesus Christ, Sammy!" Alex groaned and released her wife, sitting up.

"Sam, why?" Mitchie asked, sitting up as well.

"April Fools!" Sam said between a fit of giggles. "I got you guys so good."

"Sam, you're supposed to play practical jokes on people, not scare the living daylights out of them," Alex said with a grumble as she flopped back down on her pillow and buried her face in it.

"Oh," he said, a little crest-fallen. An idea struck him, and he smiled wickedly. "Hey, Mama, pull my finger." He held out his finger to her.

Alex picked up her head again. " _I_ taught _you_ that one, son." She smirked before lying her head on her pillow once more. "Nice try, though."

"Dang it!" Sam fell back onto the bed, exasperated.

Mitchie smiled and grabbed his foot, wiggling it. "Good morning, by the way."

Sam got back up and crawled over to her. "Good morning, Mommy." He placed himself on her lap and wrapped his arms around her neck. "Can we have pancakes?"

"I don't know, can I have my good-morning kiss?"

Sam scrunched up his face. "Mom," he whined.

Alex picked her head up. "If I kiss you can I have pancakes?"

"Yup," Mitchie said, nodding. "Just you. None for Sam."

Sam rolled his eyes and groaned. "Fine." He placed a quick kiss on her cheek and looked at her expectantly. "Now can I have pancakes?"

Mitchie laughed. "Sure." She ruffled his unruly, dark curls lovingly. "Go bring T-Rex potty and we'll be down in a sec."

"Yay!" He hopped down from the bed and ran towards the door.

"Hey!" Alex protested, sitting up. "Where's my kiss?"

Sam turned around and rushed back to the bed. He stood on his toes and kissed Alex's cheek quickly before dashing out the door again, little brown dog chasing after him.

"Someone's chipper this morning," Alex said, turning to Mitchie.

"I know, I wish he'd give some of that energy to me," Mitchie said with a chuckle. "Come on, let's get down there. If we aren't in the kitchen by the time he comes back in he might start trying to make the pancakes himself again, and I don't feel like having my house burn down today."

"And I'm the only arsonist in this family," Alex agreed with a nod.

Mitchie smirked and shook her head at her wife. "I'm so glad those days are behind you."

"You and me both."

Sometimes Alex almost forget about the fact that she nearly burned down her high school by attempting to smoke in the girls' room… almost. After all, it was the event that almost ruined her life, but ultimately helped introduce her to Mitchie. A girl doesn't forget the event that helped her to meet the love of her life.

The women both climbed out of bed, Mitchie stretching and Alex yawning as they went. Together they walked to the door and down the stairs of their large California home.

After returning from Camp Rock all those summers ago Mitchie finally finished and released her first album. It was an instant success, and Mitchie's career skyrocketed after that. She and Alex had more money than they ever could have imagined after that first album and the tour that followed. Then came the second album, which led to more money and another tour. After that Alex and Mitchie decided it was time to finally relocate to California for Mitchie's career.

As soon as they reached the kitchen Alex put on a pot of coffee as Mitchie busied herself with the pancakes. They were from a box, so they were nowhere near as good as her chef-mother's, but what could she say? She was a singer, not a chef.

Sam came in from the backyard with T-Rex as Alex poured coffee for her and Mitchie into mugs. He went to the stove and peeked over Mitchie's shoulder at the pancakes.

"Where's the chocolate chips?" he asked with a frown.

"You're going to smother these in syrup, you don't need that much sugar," Mitchie told him.

"Well, that's going to be Shane's problem, so I say go for it," Alex said with a smirk as she retrieved the creamer from the stainless-steel fridge.

Shane had remained in Sam's life, as he said he would, and had actually become a pretty okay father. He took Sam every other weekend when he wasn't touring or doing some other celebrity thing. Recently he'd been judging a singing competition in Europe, but he'd gotten back that week, and it was his first time seeing Sam in nearly a month.

"What time is Dad coming to get me?" Sam asked.

"Around ten," Mitchie said. "Sam, can you please set the table for breakfast?"

Sam sighed but did as he was told, grabbing the utensils from the silverware drawer.

* * *

A few minutes later the three of them sat around the table, all enjoying the fruit of Mitchie's labor. Sam chewed his pancakes happily, dropping down a bite every now and then to T-Rex when his mothers weren't looking. Alex was the first to clean her plate, dragging the last delicious piece of bacon through the leftover syrup. She popped it in her mouth and sighed in contentment. Sam was next, doing the same. Mitchie smiled as she watched them, the memory of her first time trying syrup on her bacon flashing through her mind.

"Sam, did I ever tell you the story of how I discovered how amazing bacon and syrup are together?" Mitchie asked as she stabbed her own last bite of food with her fork.

"Only a bazillion times," Sam said and sucked a glob of syrup off his thumb. "You were pregnant with me, you saw Mama doing it, she made you try it, blah, blah, blah."

"And the rest is history," Alex said with a chuckle and downed the last of her coffee.

"Wanna lick the plate, T-Rex?" Sam asked the brown dog at his feet, reaching down to put his plate on the floor.

T-Rex wagged his tail in excitement, his whole body swaying with the movement. He was a funny-looking little guy. A long body, like a wiener dog, but not quite as long. His legs also weren't as stout, and his ears were bat-like, always up and alert. They had no idea what kind of breed he was because Alex had gotten him from the pound for Sam's fifth birthday.

"Oh, no," Mitchie said, grabbing the plate from her son before he could place it on the floor. "Last time you did that he got syrup all over himself. And _I'm_ the one who had to give him a bath."

"Awe," Sam whined.

T-Rex whined as well as he watched Mitchie carry his almost-treat away, to the sink. Alex followed her with her dishes as well.

"Sam, go upstairs and brush your teeth and get dressed. Shane's gonna be here soon," Alex said as she returned to the table for the rest of the dishes.

"Okay." Sam hopped down from his chair. "Come on, T!" He ran out of the kitchen. The dog hesitated, sniffing the air to see if he could catch a whiff of any leftover food. When he determined there wasn't any he turned and followed his tiny owner.

* * *

Mitchie and Alex busied themselves cleaning their large, immaculate kitchen after breakfast. It was a chef's dream. Plenty of counter and cabinet space, a double oven, range with a fifth burner in the center, granite countertops, and all stainless steel appliances. Mitchie's own chef mother was jealous. After Mitchie, Alex, and Sam moved to California Connie and Steve gave up their tiny New York apartment and bought a home in Texas not far from where Mitchie had originally grown up. Their kitchen was nothing like Mitchie's, and it was something Connie voiced being jealous of every time she visited.

But, as nice as the kitchen was, it was a bitch to clean. Stainless steel had a way of showing fingerprints, and eight-year-olds seemed to always have dirty hands. So every Saturday morning after breakfast Mitchie and Alex cleaned their kitchen. It was something Alex deeply hated, and always tried to get out of, but Mitchie insisted. They had someone clean the whole house once a week on Wednesdays, but the kitchen always seemed to get dirty quicker than the rest of their home. So they did it twice a week.

When Alex finally finished scrubbing off the last of Sam's finger smudges from the fridge, she let out a long sigh and threw the Clorox wipe in the garbage. She wiped her brow and checked the time. It was ten after ten. That had only taken about thirty minutes. Not bad.

"Shane's late," Alex announced, leaning against the counter and looking to Mitchie.

Mitchie put the last dish in the dishwasher and pushed the start button. She straightened up and crossed her arms over her chest, meeting Alex's gaze.

"When is he not?" Mitchie asked. "I mean, the man was a year late in showing up to his son's life."

"Seven years later and I'm still surprised he showed up at all."

Mitchie nodded. "Me too."

The sound of running footsteps followed by the tiny clacking of nails on tile approached. Alex and Mitchie quieted their discussion of Shane as Sam skidded to a halt into the room. T-Rex quickly followed, tail wagging like crazy.

"Where's Dad?" Sam asked, out of breath. His chest heaved under his light blue Polo shirt.

"He's just running a little late," Mitchie said, reaching out to stroke his chin. She looked down at his shorts, noticing they were the ones she had just bought him. She frowned upon seeing a bright red spot on the right leg of the gray material. "What happened here?"

Sam looked down at his shorts then back at his mom sheepishly. "I had a marker in my pocket."

Mitchie groaned. "Sam, how many shorts do you have to ruin before you listen to me when I tell you to STOP DOING THAT?"

"This is the last time, I swear," Sam said quickly.

"You said that last time," Alex chimed in.

A long, slow ding-dong filled the house, and Sam's eyes widened with excitement.

"Dad's here!" he exclaimed, before dashing out of the room again.

"Quit running!" Mitchie called to his retreating back.

"Great, my favorite person's here," Alex said in a sarcastic tone. She put on a fake smile. "Let's get this over with."

"Just think," Mitchie said with a smile, "him being here means we get the house all to ourselves tonight."

"Oh my gosh, I can't wait." Alex grinned from ear-to-ear, showing slightly crooked front teeth Mitchie loved so much. "We can watch whatever we want on Netflix," she said wistfully.

Mitchie laughed loudly. "I was thinking we could be as _loud_ as we want," she said with eyebrows raised and a sexy smirk. "But I like your, idea, too."

"Let's do both," Alex said, wrapping her arm around Mitchie's waist and pulling her close. "By the way, I never got my good morning kiss from you."

Mitchie beamed and wound her arms around Alex's neck. "Well, good morning." She gently pressed her lip against her wife's then pulled away quickly. "Come on, let's go hand over our son to his father so I can kiss you as much as I want."

"And all this time I thought Shane was useless. But look at him, coming in handy for once." Alex chuckled at her own joke and untangled herself from Mitchie.

When they reached the foyer, they found Sam had already let Shane in. Shane stood there, engulfing Sam in a huge hug. T-Rex ran around them in circles, barking loudly. No matter how many times he saw Shane, he went nuts every time. T-Rex hated men, and Alex got a kick out of it. He fit into their family just fine.

"I missed you, bud," Shane said, letting Sam go and taking a step back to look at him. "I feel like you've grown a foot since I saw you!"

"Really?" Sam asked, beaming. He glanced down at himself, then stood tall and threw his shoulders back, puffing out his chest.

"You're gonna be taller than me soon enough." Shane reached out and ruffled the boy's hair before turning attention to the two women standing a few feet away near the foot of the stairs. "Hey, good to see you."

"Welcome back," Mitchie said, crossing over and hugging him lightly.

"What'd ya bring me?" Alex asked with a smirk, walking over as well.

"Actually," Shane said, reaching into the inside pocket of his black leather jacket, "I did get you something." He pulled out a McFly CD with scribbles across the front. "You like these guys, right?" He held out the autographed compact disc to her.

She took it, eyes wide. "Shut up! How did you get this?"

"Danny's a judge on the show I was on," Shane explained. "I told him I had a friend who liked McFly and next week he came back with this. They'd all hung out that weekend, so he got Tom, Dougie, and Harry to sign it. Nice lads."

"Lads?" Mitchie raised her eyebrows. "What, you go to London for a month and suddenly you're speaking the lingo?"

"What'd you bring me, Dad?" Sam asked, tugging on his jacket sleeve.

"Sam, that's not polite," Mitchie corrected him.

"But Mama said it!"

"I was kidding," Alex said, still staring down at her signed copy of _Motion in the Ocean_. "I didn't think he actually had something for me," she muttered.

"Sam, I got you so much stuff that it's all waiting for you at my house in your room," Shane said, gaining a smile from his son. "Go get your bag, and we'll go check it out."

"All right!" Sam exclaimed and took off up the stairs.

"What, I don't get anything?" Mitchie asked jokingly. "I birthed your son."

"Didn't you just say it was rude for Sam to ask?" Shane smirked.

"Yeah, that's him. Do as I say, not as I do, ya know?"

Shane laughed and reached into his back, jean pocket. He produced a playbill for _Wicked_ and handed it over.

"Thanks for suggesting I see it," he told her. "That's signed on the inside."

Mitchie excitedly flipped it open. "Like, I know I'm famous now and shouldn't be excited about an autograph, but this is still so cool to me."

Shane grinned and looked down to see T-Rex sniffing at his black Vans. He bent over and held out his hand, letting the dog catch his scent.

"Hey, dude. How ya doing, Rex?"

"Dad," Sam said, appearing at the top of the stairs with his backpack slung over his shoulder, "his name is _T-Rex_. I've told you before." He began descending the stairs. "After my favorite dinosaur, remember?"

"Yeah, Shane, how could you forget?" Alex asked. "I mean, you are the one who showed him _Jurassic Park_ when he was four, which scared him so badly he slept in our bed for a month."

"He said he liked dinosaur movies. I thought he'd like it," Shane said defensively.

"Yeah, _Land Before Time_ ," Mitchie said.

" _Jurassic Park_ is a cinematic masterpiece," Shane said as Sam reached him. He took his son's bag from him and slung it over his own shoulder. "Forgive me for trying to culture our son."

"Dad, can we go?" Sam whined impatiently.

"Yeah, come on, buddy." He placed his hand on the door. "Go hug your moms."

Sam threw his arms around Mitchie, who gave him a gentle squeeze. Next was Alex. She placed a kiss atop his head and patted his back.

"Be good," she told him.

"We'll see you tomorrow," Mitchie added.

"Bye, Moms. Love you." He followed Shane out the door.

"Love you," Mitchie and Alex said in unison as the door swung closed.

It was silent for a moment, until T-Rex let out a whine at his companion's departure. He scratched at the door, willing it to open again.

"Well, what do you want to do now?" Mitchie asked Alex, looking around the large, empty foyer. The house always seemed so still without Sam's energy.

"Wanna go eat the rest of the leftover Easter candy we hid from Sam?" Alex smiled mischievously.

Mitchie laughed. "Duh."

* * *

Shane placed Sam's bag in the backseat of his black Range Rover and held the door open for Sam to climb in. The boy frowned upon seeing his booster seat fastened to the seat.

"Dad, I'm too big for this," he protested.

"Actually, you're not," Shane told him. "According to your mother, at least. And I'm not going to argue with her. Besides," he pointed to outside the gate, to the group of irritating paparazzi gathered and taking pictures of them, "those guys will have these photos online within the hour. Do you really want your mom to call and demand I bring you home because I didn't do the one thing she asked me to do, which is keep you safe?"

Sam grumbled but climbed into his safety seat all the same. "Stupid paparazzi. I hate them."

"You and me both, kid." Shane connected the straps and buckled Sam in. "You and me both."

"Hey, Dad," Sam said and pointed to Shane's shirt. "What's that?"

"What?" Shane asked, looking down.

Sam lifted his finger and flicked Shane in the nose, and Shane stared at his son dumbfoundedly as he cackled in his seat.

"April Fools," Sam gasped in between chuckles.

Shane had to laugh as well. "Dang, Sam, you got me." He looked to his Apple Watch, and sure enough, it was April First.

He'd been so focused on the competition and then flying back immediately after it ended so that he could be there in time to see Sam he hadn't even thought about the dumb holiday. He'd arrived the night before and crashed in his bed immediately, somehow managing to hazily set an alarm before giving into exhaustion.

"I can't wait to tell Mama I got you," Sam grinned widely, and Shane noticed for the first time he'd lost another one of his bottom teeth.

When had that happened? And he hadn't been lying earlier when he said Sam had grown. It felt like he'd had a whole growth spurt over the few weeks Shane had been away. It hit Shane hard in the chest. He missed so much sometimes.

After once again checking that Sam was secure Shane closed the back door before hopping in the driver's seat. He adjusted his mirror and began backing out of the long driveway, pausing to allow the automatic gate to open. The men with cameras backed away to let him pass, snapping pictures the whole time. Shane threw his car in drive and sped away quickly, leaving the human leeches in his dust.

* * *

 **And there you have it. The first chapter. Today is a special day for me, and this is a story line that is dear to my heart. Thank you for continuing this journey with me. I'll try to update in a timely manner. For now, review if you wish. I'll be back soon.**

 **Until next time,**

 **DF**


	2. After All These Years

**Hello again. Thanks so much for the positive feedback on the first chapter. I am happy there are people out there who still read, and I was thrilled to see you return. I haven't been this inspired in years. Thank you. I hope I don't let you down.**

* * *

Several hours later Alex and Mitchie had not moved from their couch. A pile of candy wrappers sat on the mahogany coffee table in front of them. The light of the large Smart TV was all that illuminated the room, Netflix up and running as agreed upon. Mitchie and Alex sat snuggled up on their plush, cream-colored couch.

"I can't believe we can finally watch whatever we want, and we're watching _The Office_ again," Mitchie said, unwrapping the last candy and popping it into her mouth.

"We couldn't agree on anything else." Alex blindly searched for a candy in the dimness, only to find there were none. "Babe, did you eat the last Kit-Kat?"

Mitchie looked at her, stopping mid-chew. "No," she said, mouth full.

"Liar." She smirked. "Great. What am I gonna eat now?" Alex asked.

"Me?" Mitchie's lips curled into a smile.

Alex's mirrored it. "Delicious."

She reached up and cupped Mitchie's face, instantly bringing their lips together. Mitchie tangled her fingers in Alex's raven hair and pressed their bodies together. Alex leaned into her wife's touch and they tumbled onto the couch, Alex on top of Mitchie, kissing her hungrily. Alex's lips moved to Mitchie's neck, placing butterfly kisses as she went. Her hands roamed to Mitchie's jean shorts, and her fingers expertly found the button and undid it.

She was about to pull down the zipper when a bright flash filled the room, followed by a _poof._ Alex flew off Mitchie, fists raised and ready to fight whatever intruder was zapping themselves into her living room. It was times like these she wished she still had her powers and her wand, but she'd given them up a few years ago for Mitchie and Sam.

When the smoke cleared Alex let out a sigh of relief and lowered her fists. Her eldest brother Justin stood before her. His hair was longer now, and he had it pulled back into a ponytail. He still dressed like a dork, though, in Alex's opinion. For example: Tears of Blood had split up four years ago, and here he was, wearing their t-shirt like he was on the way to one of their concerts.

"It's Justin," Alex told Mitchie, who was still flat against the couch, buttoning up her pants again.

"Of course it is," Mitchie said, sitting up. "Who else zaps into our living room?" She waved at her brother-in-law. "Hi, Justin."

"Hey," he said, eyebrows raised. He took in their flushed complexions, tangled hair, smudged lip gloss, and recalled how he'd found them on the couch. "Am I interrupting something?" he chuckled.

"Kind of," Alex said with a sigh. She crossed her arms over her chest, feeling exposed. This wasn't the first time Justin had caught her and Mitchie up to something. He'd walked in on them literally having sex before, but that was when she was living at home. "You know I hate when you pop in like that."

"What do you want me to do, zap myself outside?" Justin asked, gesturing out the window. "There are always paparazzi. They'd see."

"You could at least call first and give us a little warning," Alex grumbled.

Justin shrugged. "Sorry, Alex, I wasn't thinking. Now that I have my full powers I use them all the time, kind of like I'm on autopilot."

There he went again, rubbing in her face that he won the family wizard competition. Alex was still bitter about it. As soon as she got back from her honeymoon the wizard council stripped her of her powers for marrying a mortal. That meant when Max turned of age it was just him and Justin participating in the competition to see which sibling would keep their magic and gain the full powers of their family's magic. Justin won easily. Alex had a hard time watching, silently seething with jealousy. She had no doubt in her mind had she been able to compete she would have mopped the floor with both of her brothers, and then she would have been the family wizard. But then she got home and kissed her wife and son and all that regret instantly went away. Although it did still sting when she saw Justin using his magic. She missed it, what could she say? It literally made everything easier, and with how lazy Alex was, easy was her favorite difficulty level.

"Are you here for a reason, or just to flaunt your magic in my face?" Alex asked, irritated.

"I'm here to bring you this," Justin said, holding out his hand. With the other he pointed his wand to his empty palm and a manila folder full of papers appeared. He smiled at his sister and sister-in-law.

"You _had_ to zap those in? You couldn't have just brought them with you?"

Justin's face fell. "Sorry, I forgot…" He walked over and handed them to his sister. "All signed and ready to go."

Mitchie took the folder from Alex's hands and opened it. She skimmed the contents and took a deep breath, then looked up at her wife.

"This is it," she said. "It's official."

Alex smiled and reached out to take Mitchie's hand. She looked to her brother. "Thank you, Justin. You don't know what this means to us."

"Of course," he said with a nod. "When's your appointment?"

"Friday," Alex answered. "It didn't seem real until now, but it's finally happening."

"I can't wait." Mitchie beamed and gave Alex's hand a squeeze.

"Well, good luck. Let me know how it goes." He leaned over and kissed Alex's cheek. "Call me if you need anything." He bent down and gave Mitchie's kiss a cheek as well. "I'll see you soon."

"Going so soon?" Mitchie asked.

"Mitchie, let him go if he wants to." Alex looked at her pointedly. "We have plans, remember… Dinner?"

"I think I know what you mean by that, and on that note I'm gonna go," Justin said with a scrunched-up face. "Besides, Juliet's waiting for me."

Mitchie and Alex didn't think it was possible for a couple to be as disgustingly in love as them, but then Juliet and Justin got back together and challenged them for cutest Russo family couple. They had gotten married just a few months prior and were still in the honeymoon phase. They spent every spare moment together, when Justin wasn't off teaching at WizTec. They even monster hunted at night together, even though Juliet was technically a monster, being a vampire. But she was a good one, so the monster hunters utilized her instead of hunted her.

"Go, go home and kiss your wife so I can kiss mine." Alex smiled to her brother.

Justin nodded and winked before lifting his wand and swirling it around his head. An orb of light illuminated at its tip and with a small flash Justin was gone. Alex stared at the spot her brother had stood a moment before, thinking longingly about the joys of zapping places. No driving, traffic, or planes. Oh, did Alex hate planes. Flying on a plane was nothing like flying a magic carpet. No leg room, no crisp night air in her face, and no Mitchie holding her waist securely from behind.

Mitchie reached out and squeezed Alex's hand. "Hey, you still with me?"

Alex nodded and looked down to the singer. "Sorry, just thinking." She smiled. "Now… Where were we?" She leaned down to resume the activity she'd been enjoying before her brother interrupted.

"Actually," Mitchie said, pulling back to avoid Alex's lips. "I'm kind of hungry for food with nutritional value." She gazed at Alex apologetically. "Can we postpone 'til later tonight and get some real food?"

Alex tried hard to hide her disappointment, putting on a gentle grin. She still _really_ wanted to have sex right then and there, but she also respected her wife and would never insist on intimacy of that nature once Mitchie expressed disinterest. Just because she was still as hormonal as when she was a teenager didn't mean Mitchie was. It's not like they didn't have a healthy sex life, it just wasn't as intense as when they'd first started making love. Back then it was something they did every chance they got. But as they got older and progressed with their busy careers there just wasn't as much time. Plus, raising Sam, let alone any child, could be exhausting.

"Of course," Alex said, bringing their intertwined hands up to her mouth and kissing Mitchie's knuckles.

Mitchie beamed. "You're the best." She stood and kissed Alex quickly on the lips. "Let's go out for dinner, make a date out of it. We never get to do that anymore."

Alex nodded. "Okay. Where do you want to go?"

"You pick," Mitchie told her.

"Sushi," Alex said excitedly, her eyes lighting up. They never got sushi because Sam hated it. Whenever he wasn't with them it was usually Alex's go-to.

"You got it."

Mitchie walked around the couch, leaving the living room. Alex turned off the tv and followed the songstress, quickly catching up at the stairs. Alex ascended in Mitchie's wake, her eyes firmly planted on the way Mitchie's ass moved in her shorts with each step. Mitchie turned and glanced back at Alex, noticing the woman's attention was on her backside.

"I'm gonna take a shower first, and use all the hot water I want," Mitchie joked, turning forward again. "I feel like you could use a cold one."

"Well, you're not wrong," Alex said lowly. She reminded herself that good things came to those who wait as she continued to follow Mitchie to their bedroom.

* * *

Alex sat on the large, unmade bed, staring at the clock. She'd called the restaurant while Mitchie was in the shower to get a reservation. At first the hostess said they were full, but once Alex casually mentioned the fact that she was Mitchie Torres' wife they magically found an available table. However, if they didn't get going soon, they weren't going to make it in time. When it came to restaurants and celebrities, however, there were exceptions. Normal people would lose the table if they were not even five minutes late to their reservation. Celebrities were given more leeway. Much more. They could show up hours late or even out of the blue and still get a table. But Alex hated the egotistical celebrities who did that and vowed never to be one of them. She already felt disgusted in herself for using her wife's star power to get them a table. She didn't want to push it.

Which meant they really needed to leave.

"Babe, we're gonna be late," Alex called through the closed bathroom door. She'd been ready for nearly twenty minutes. Then again, it didn't take her long to get ready. Just a shower, a bit of makeup, and some clothes and she was good to go. She didn't even dry her hair, preferring to let her dark, shoulder-length locks air dry on their own.

"One minute," Mitchie called back.

Alex stood with a sigh and went over to check herself for the fifth time in the floor-length mirror on the backside of the bathroom door.

Her hair was mostly dry, hanging in natural waves, framing her face. She wore dark skinny jeans and a royal blue shirt with a black vest over it. Her feet were clad in her trusty black boots, but she had to admit they still felt weird without her wand pressing into her right ankle. It just wasn't the same. But still, she had to admit she looked pretty damn good.

"Why is the door closed, anyway?" Alex asked. They'd been together over eight years. Alex had seen Mitchie give birth to their son. They never closed the door. Not even when using the bathroom. Partially because they didn't care, and also a little because they didn't like to be separated.

The door swung open, and Alex's reflection was replaced with Mitchie standing before her, all done up and ready to go. She wore a skin-tight hot pink dress, which hugged her curves perfectly. The black pumps on her feet made her calves look amazing, and Alex couldn't help staring.

"Shock factor." Mitchie said with a smile, pushing a strand of her chin-length black hair behind her ear. "Do I look okay?"

Alex looked to her face. "Okay?" She chuckled deeply. "Honey, you look so hot we need to leave right now before I throw you down on our bed and rip that dress off of you."

Mitchie laughed and closed the bathroom door. She checked herself in the mirror one last time, like Alex had been doing previously, and smiled at her reflection. Alex was right, she'd outdone herself with the dress and went a little darker with her makeup than usual. But it was a special night. She and Alex usually got alone time when Shane took Sam, and since he'd been gone for a month they hadn't been able to go out just the two of them in weeks. And plus, this was probably going to be one of the last times they wanted to go out for a while. She wanted to make the most of it.

"K, I'm good. Let's hit it," she said, turning to her waiting wife.

"Oh the 'hitting it' comes later, darling," Alex said, quirking an eyebrow and offering her arm to the other woman. "Shall we?"

Mitchie smiled and linked her arm through Alex's. Eight years together and Mitchie still hadn't tired of Alex's jokes and goofing around. Mitchie laughed at nearly every one and rolled her eyes at the bad ones. But Alex never stopped making them, and Mitchie loved her for it. No one had ever made her smile or laugh as much as Alex Torres-Russo.

* * *

Shane army-crawled across his living room floor, going slow as to not give himself rug burns. Once he reached the back of the leather couch he sat up, putting his back against it. He clutched a plastic Nerf gun to his chest, and he slowly crouched, looking over the couch. The living room seamed clear. He stood and let out a breath.

Sam chose this moment to pop about from behind the recliner.

"Die, Imperial scum!" Sam yelled, unloading the Styrofoam bullets from his Nerf gun.

Shane flinched and made screaming noises every time one of Sam's bullets hit, pretending to really be injured. He found Sam got a kick out of it.

"I said die!" Sam yelled again and pulled the trigger on his gun. He was met with a hollow _click_ , and to his disappointment no projectile came from the toy in his hands. "Uh oh."

Shane gave a battle cry and advanced on Sam, emptying his own round of foam bullets on his son.

"Take that, Han Solo!" Shane pumped his fist in the air.

Sam dropped his gun and ran at Shane, leaping onto him. Shane fell backwards onto the floor, Sam on top of him.

"Okay, truce, truce," he said, laughing as he sat up, trying to catch his breath. "You win, rebel alliance."

"Victory!" Sam stood up and jumped onto the couch, bouncing up and down.

Shane watched him, shaking his head. Maybe he shouldn't have given him all those Skittles after all.

"Okay, Dad," Sam said, jumping down from the couch and standing over his father. "Now I'll be Luke Skywalker, and you'll be Darth Vader. I'll go get my lightsabers."

"Hold on, bud, Dad's tired," Shane said, slowly picking himself up off the floor. He tossed the toy on the couch. "Why don't we do something else?"

"Like what?" Sam cocked his head to the side and looked at Shane quizzically.

"Well, the pizza should be here soon," Shane said, glancing at his smart watch. "How about we eat, then go see a movie?"

Sam's eyes lit up. "Yeah! The new _Jurassic World_ is out!"

"I don't think that's a good idea," Shane muttered. "I got chewed out by your moms just this morning for letting you watch the first one."

"Awe, come on, Dad," Sam said with a pout. "That's just 'cause I was a little kid then. I was five." He held up all five fingers to make his point. "I'm eight now—" he held up three more fingers, "I can handle it."

Shane stared at him for a moment, scratching his chin while he pondered what to do. He didn't want to say no and upset Sam. They had so little time together he hated to ruin it in some way. Whenever he had Sam he always let Sam choose what they did, that way they had the best shot at having a good weekend. But on the other hand, he also didn't want Alex and Mitchie mad at him for showing Sam another scary movie. He'd never hear the end of it.

"Please, Daddy?" Sam asked again. "I promise I won't be scared."

Shane sighed, his resolve crumbling. "Okay, but you can't tell your moms."

"All right!" Sam threw his fists in the air gleefully, and Shane had to smile. That's all he wanted, was to see the kid happy.

* * *

The restaurant was dimly lit, most of the light coming from the candles on the tables and the sparse overhead lighting. Waiters floated around, and quiet conversation of the diners buzzed through the dining room. Mitchie and Alex sat nestled into a booth in the corner of the restaurant, sitting side-by-side, Alex's arm over Mitchie's shoulder and Mitchie with her hand on Alex's thigh.

Their finished plates of sushi lay on the table in front of them, only a couple of stray grains of rice remaining on the otherwise spotless porcelain.

"I can't remember the last time we went to a restaurant with tablecloths," Mitchie said, running her other hand over the tabletop and smoothing out the bleach-white fabric. "You know, ones not made of paper."

"Yeah, and I bet they'd ban us for drawing on them in crayons, right?" Alex joked.

Mitchie laughed a little and nodded. "Most definitely."

Moments later their waiter appeared with their bill and Mitchie's credit card, ready to be signed.

"Thank you so much for dining with us this evening, Mrs. Torres-Russos." The young man took a pen out of his apron pocket and clicked it, placing it on the table next to the receipt. "Whenever you're ready. Have a pleasant evening." He smiled before rushing off, onto his next table.

Mitchie quickly signed the bill and left a generous tip before placing the pen back down and returning her credit card to her black clutch. She untangled herself from Alex and slid out of the booth, holding her hand out to her wife. Alex quickly followed, taking Mitchie's offered hand. They made their way through the dining room, and when they reached the entrance Alex opened the door for Mitchie, allowing her wife to walk through the door first. Mitchie smiled at the woman's actions, thinking to herself how some things never changed.

Alex retrieved her valet ticket stub from her back pocket and handed it to the valet. She spoke with the man briefly, and he handed off the keys to another parking attendant, who ran off towards the parking lot around the back of the building. He looked a little young, and Alex wondered how long he had been driving for. Couldn't have been too long. It made her nervous. Maybe she should have parked her beloved silver Lexus herself.

She turned around to tell Mitchie just that but stopped short when she noticed her wife's eyes were already fixed on her. Her lips were curled into a small smile. Alex shifted under her gaze.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," Mitchie said, shaking her head. "It's just," she took a step closer to Alex, "I love that you've never stopped opening the door for me."

Alex smiled. "Remember the first time we went to the movies together? Before we were dating?"

Mitchie nodded. "Of course. We had a contest to see who could catch the most popcorn in her mouth."

"Exactly, that night," Alex said quickly. "Well, I liked you, but I didn't want to, so I told myself not to treat it like a date. Not to open the door for you, or anything like that." She reached out and cupped Mitchie's cheek. "But what did I do? I opened the door for you, because I just can't help myself when it comes to you."

Mitchie's eyes darkened. "Now why do you have to say sexy stuff like that when you know damn well it's going to be nearly forty-five minutes before we get home with L.A. traffic?" She shook her head, leaning out of Alex's touch.

Alex put her hands on her hips. "As I recall, you're the one who put things on pause so we could get dinner."

"Don't use my own words against me," Mitchie said, cracking a grin.

Alex smiled, but it faltered as she caught a glimpse of a flash over Mitchie's shoulder. Straining her eyes, she spotted a sleaze ball with a camera hiding behind a bush about a hundred yards away. Damn paparazzi. She could have sworn she'd lost them on the interstate.

Thankfully the valet appeared with the Lexus moments after Alex's discovery. She quickly ushered her wife to the vehicle, opening the door for Mitchie to climb in.

"I'll never get tired of that," Mitchie said with a sigh of contentment as she climbed in the passenger's seat.

Alex closed her door and went around to the driver's side. The young valet handed her the keys, and she slipped him a folded-up bill as tip. He smiled brightly, offered her thanks, and rushed off. It seemed as though she hadn't needed to worry. The SUV looked just as perfect as when she'd left it.

* * *

The only thing that kept Shane awake during the movie was the extremely loud roaring of various dinosaurs, and Sam continuously ducking his head behind his shoulder anytime a carnivorous creature was onscreen. Shane offered multiple times for them to leave if it was too much, but Sam insisted; they stayed until the end. Afterwards Sam chatted excitedly about his favorite parts of the movie and boasted about how he wasn't scared at all.

It took some persuading to get Sam to calm down enough to take a bath and then crawl into his bed, but finally Shane was turning off the light to Sam's room and shutting the door. He slowly trudged down the hall and into the master bedroom. He pulled back the covers on his bed and climbed in, reveling at the softness of his memory foam mattress. He'd been sleeping in a hotel bed for so long that he almost forgot what his own felt like. It was his favorite part about being back home, sleeping in his own bed.

He placed his black, square-framed glasses and phone on the nightstand and switched off the lamp. His head hit the pillow, and his eyes slipped closed. God, he was comfortable.

"Dad?"

Shane slowly opened his heavy eyelids and saw Sam's dark silhouette beside his bed. He stifled a groan and switched on the lamp again.

"What's up, bud?" he asked, rubbing his eye.

"I'm scared," Sam said quietly.

Shane sighed. He knew this would happen. He fucking knew it and he did it anyway. Alex and Mitchie were going to kill him.

"Come on," Shane said, pulling back the covers on the other side of the bed.

Sam scrambled onto the bed and snuggled under the covers. He scooted closer to Shane and rested his head on his dad's chest. Shane began rubbing Sam's back him small, soothing circles.

"You don't still wet the bed, do you?" Shane asked. He felt Sam shake his head.

"Not since I was seven-and-a-half."

Shane stopped rubbing Sam's back. "You just turned eight, like, a week ago."

"I know, you weren't here," Sam said, bitterness evident in his voice.

Shane winced. He knew he'd let Sam down when he couldn't make it back from filming to see him on his birthday, but the show was going into semi-finals. He had no free time. He'd sent Sam a British soccer jersey from a shop he'd found near his hotel and Facetimed him when he'd had a free moment, but he knew it wasn't the same. Kids didn't understand work, schedules, and commitments. All Sam knew was that his dad missed his birthday.

"I know, I'm still sorry about that," Shane said, hoping Sam could hear in his voice how much he meant it.

"Dad, why don't I get to spend more time with you?"

"What do you mean, bud?" Shane asked. "This is how it's always been." Well, not entirely. Shane only did supervised visits until Mitchie and Alex moved to California when Sam was around four. Then he'd started taking him every other weekend. But it had been that way for as long as Sam could remember.

"Yeah, I know," Sam said. "But other kids in my class whose parents aren't together spend one week at one house and one week at the other's." He tried to search Shane's face in the darkness. "Why do I only get to see you every other weekend?"

"I mean, that's what your moms and I agreed to." He shifted, resting an arm behind his head. "Do you… want to spend more time with me?"

"Of course I do," Sam said quickly. "You're my dad. I love you. And we always have so much fun together."

"Well, I could ask your moms about you maybe coming over more often," Shane said uncertainly. He hated to make promises he couldn't keep, at least when it came to Sam. Sam was one of the few people in the world Shane didn't want to let down. "But it's up to them, okay?"

"Okay," Sam agreed. He draped an arm around Shane's torso and squeezed him. "I hope they say yes."

"So do I," Shane said gently, silently already running through what he could say to get Mitchie and Alex to agree. "Hey, get some sleep, okay? They'll never let me take you again, let alone more if you're a zombie tomorrow."

Sam laughed. "Okay," he said again. "Goodnight, Dad. Love you."

Shane kissed his mop of curls. "Night, Sam Man. Love you, too."

The boy fell silent, and soon he was asleep. Shane heard Sam's heaving breathing and looked down at the boy resting beside him. Sometimes Shane watched Sam sleep and marveled in how much they looked alike. He had Shane's dark, curly hair, his lopsided smile, and the same nose. His eyes, though, those were Mitchie's, and his freckles. It never ceased to amaze Shane that the worst thing he'd ever done in his entire life had resulted in the best thing that had ever happened to him.

Finally Shane lost the fight with his eyelids, and they closed, jet-lag and exhaustion ultimately taking over.

* * *

 **Sorry this chapter was a bit Shane heavy. I know you guys hate him, but I felt it was essential to show his growth. Hopefully Sam being a part of it makes up for it. He's so much fun to write now that he's actually a little person with thoughts and feelings. Anyway, hope you enjoyed. Review if you like.**

 **Until next time**

 **-DF**


	3. The Intruder

**I ended up rereading the first two stories after I posted the last chapter. It took several days. My brain hurt after. But it was important. There are so many things I'd forgotten. Very interesting for me, to say the least. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Enjoy.**

* * *

Shane woke up with a knee pressed into his back. He didn't want to wake up, suffering majorly from jet-lag, but it hurt so damn much.

"Sam," Shane said in a low voice. He groaned and reached around him and shoved Sam's knee back onto his side of the bed.

Sam stirred, and Shane silently prayed he would just fall back asleep. The clock said it was only half past seven. He was still so tired he felt almost hungover, though he knew he wasn't. That was one of the conditions of him taking Sam. He couldn't drink while Sam was with him, and Shane didn't want to give Mitchie a reason to not trust him when it came to alcohol ever again, so he abided by it.

To Shane's dismay Sam rubbed his eyes and sat up. He yawned and stretched, then looked around at his surroundings. He was a little confused not to wake up in his own room. The light gray walls and hardwood floors were much different from the sky-blue walls of the warm, carpeted dwelling he was used to. It took him a moment, but he then remembered he was at Shane's, and he smiled. He loved being with his dad.

"Morning, bud," Shane said in a groggy voice, sitting up as well. "Sleep okay? No nightmares?"

"Nope," Sam said proudly. He shifted so he was sitting on his knees, facing Shane. "What's for breakfast?" he asked brightly.

Shane thought about it for a moment. He hadn't had time to buy any groceries, and he knew he didn't have anything in the fridge. All his food had gone bad over the month he'd been away. Last night he'd cleaned it out to make room for the pizza… The pizza!

"Leftovers," Shane said, throwing the covers off his legs and climbing down from the high bed.

"Alright!" Sam said excitedly, hopping down from the bed as well and running past Shane, out of the room.

Shane slowly trudged after him, stopping at Sam's room in the hallway to shut the door. It had been neat before Sam had come over, but now the floor was littered with boxes and the packaging of the things Shane had brought back from Europe. He made a mental note to clean it later after he brought Sam back home, but honestly with the door closed he would probably forget until an hour before retrieving Sam for their next visit.

* * *

Caitlyn Gellar parked her sleek, red convertible in Mitchie and Alex's driveway and hopped out of the car. It was a hot day, and she was dressed for it in shorts, a light tank, and her thick, unruly curls were pulled back into a ponytail. Aviator sunglasses sat on her nose, shielding her eyes from the blinding morning sun.

She used her key to let herself in and disarmed the alarm, having done so many times before. T-Rex ran in from the living room to greet her, yipping happily when he spotted the brunette. He immediately rolled over for her to scratch his belly when he reached her. She laughed and knelt to pet the dog.

"Hey, dude," Caitlyn said, then noticed a piece of black fabric under his body. She picked it up, realizing it was a vest. "What in the world?"

She looked up and saw more clothes scattered on the floor, leading up the stairs. She began following the trail, gathering up the garments as she went, T-Rex following. Mitchie's heels and pink dress, Alex's boots, shirt, and jeans were loaded in her arms when she reached the landing to the second floor. She saw red, lacy panties as she moved down the hall, but decided to leave those on the ground. When she got to Mitchie and Alex's room she found the matching lacy bra on the door handle, and the door was closed.

Caitlyn knew better than to go in that room. She knew what awaited her. So she dropped the clothes at the threshold and went one more door down, to Sam's room. The door was open, but there was no sign of the boy. His twin bed sat in the corner, his Superman bedding unmade.

"Where's Sam, T?" Caitlyn asked the dog at her feet, who looked up at her, wagging his tail.

Caitlyn returned downstairs, going to the dark living room. He wasn't in there, either. Next she checked the kitchen, which was also empty. T-Rex went to the backdoor leading out to the yard and scratched at it. He whined and looked at Caitlyn expectantly.

"Gotta go out?" she asked the dog, who barked in response and paced in front of the door. "Come on," she said, turning the lock on the door and letting him out. She followed him out to the yard, closing the door behind her.

* * *

Alex woke to a faint sound of a _thud_ and opened her eyes slowly. She lay on her back, Mitchie's arm draped across her chest and her head nestled into her shoulder. The sheet covered the lower half of their naked bodies, and a smile tugged at Alex's lips.

Last night had been exquisite. Alex had a love bite on her collarbone to prove it. For the first time in weeks they didn't have to try to be quiet so Sam that wouldn't hear. They had the freedom to allow every moan, sigh, and scream escape, which only added to the heat of the moment. Alex looked down at her sleeping wife, at the freckles starting to reappear under her makeup. Her lips were parted lightly, small wisps of breath escaping from a mouth that had been connected to her own and other places of her hours earlier.

Alex kissed Mitchie sweetly on the temple and dragged her nails gently against her wife's back. Mitchie shivered in response and opened her eyes, groggily meeting Alex's gaze. She gave a lazy smile, heart fluttering at having awoken to Alex watching her sleep. She never got tired of it. Some people might find it creepy, but not Mitchie. It was so endearing, and she had to admit sometimes the roles were reversed. More often then not Mitchie woke before Alex, and she always allowed herself a moment to lie there and marvel at the woman next to her. Over the years she'd made herself familiar with the details of Alex's face. Her pouty lips, round nose, and almond-shaped eyes. She felt privileged to wake up next to her every morning.

"What are you doing up so early?" Mitchie asked, glancing at the clock. It was nearly nine, and Alex was still nocturnal whenever possible. "You usually sleep 'til noon when Shane has Sam."

Alex smiled, loving how well Mitchie knew her. "I thought I heard something," she said. "Must have just been a neighbor's car door or something."

"Must have," Mitchie murmured. She reached out and moved a stray stand of hair from Alex's face. "Hi, my love. Good morning."

"Good morning," Alex responded. "How'd you sleep?"

"Amazing," Mitchie said with a grin. "But then again, I was kind of spent." She quirked an eyebrow. "Last night was…" she searched for the right words.

"Fucking incredible?" Alex smirked.

Mitchie chuckled and nodded. "Yes, exactly."

"You know," Alex began in a sultry voice, "Shane isn't supposed to have Sam back for another hour, at least. We have time for a repeat of last night. At least an abbreviated version." She wiggled her eyebrows.

"Yeah, it would have to be," Mitchie said with a laugh. "God, how many times was that? Three, four?"

"Uh, definitely four," Alex said.

Mitchie blushed and bit her lip. "No wonder my body feels like a ran a marathon," she said lowly.

"Well, it was a marathon, just no running involved."

Mitchie laughed again. "Yeah, right. You, running? Never." She sat up, untangling herself from Alex. "I need coffee first, but I think I'm for sure going to take you up on that offer."

Alex smiled, taking in the beautiful sight before her. "My offer, eh?" She sat up as well, leaning her face close to Mitchie's. "Is it an offer you can't refuse?"

"How many times do I have to ask you to stop using movie quotes as dirty talk?"

Alex thought about it for a moment. "At least five more."

Mitchie rolled her eyes and pushed Alex away from her. Alex just leaned in again and captured Mitchie's lips with her own. Mitchie smiled into it, tasting traces of the previous night's activities. She pulled away before she could give into it completely. If they kept this up they would never get out of bed.

"Come on," she said to Alex's evident disappointment. "Coffee first, then I want your ass right back in this bed."

"My ass?" Alex asked with a shit-eating grin. "What about the rest of me?"

"I fucking hate you," Mitchie said, though she was laughing.

"No, you don't," Alex said. She poked Mitchie in the ribs. Mitchie seized her hand and gave it a squeeze.

"No," she said softly. "I could never."

Mitchie tripped over the piled of clothes at their door, shaken and surprised to find them there. Someone was in the house. She and Alex locked eyes, Alex ready to go grab her baseball bat from under the bed. She stopped, however, when a wonderful smell hit her. It smelled like heaven.

"Coffee?" Alex said. "What kind of person breaks in to make coffee?"

"And why isn't the alarm tripped, or T-Rex barking like a maniac?" Mitchie wondered.

They both ran back into their room and put their robes on before hopping over the pile of clothing and making their way downstairs in search of the source of the smell. Their questions were answered when they saw Caitlyn sitting at the counter bar, holding a mug of coffee in one hand and scrolling on her phone with the other. T-Rex sat at her feet, watching her closely in case the coffee turned out to be food.

Caitlyn looked up from her phone and smirked at the women. She brought her mug to her lips and took a sip, smiling at them over the cup afterwards.

"Good morning," she said in an amused tone. "Fun night, I presume."

"Could have been a fun morning, too, but you're here now," Alex said, going over to the cabinets and taking out mugs for her and Mitchie. "So thanks for that." She grabbed the coffee pot from the machine, glad she didn't have to go through the effort of making it herself. At least when Caitlyn broke in she was useful.

"It's good to see you, too, Alex," Caitlyn said cheekily. "Now, where is my godson?"

"You don't even hug me hello?" Mitchie asked as Alex poured their coffee. "Just ask me where my spawn is?"

"How'd you even get in?" Alex asked. She took the creamer from the fridge and added it to the cups. She used a spoon to stir it in, clanking it lightly against the sides.

"I have a key, remember?" Caitlyn raised her eyebrows. "You gave it to me."

"Yeah, for, like, emergencies." Alex handed Mitchie one of the cups. "Or for when you house-sit when we're out of town."

"You knew that wasn't how this was gonna work," Caitlyn said, shaking her head.

Alex stared at her for a moment, baffled. There were very few people who challenged her with witty retorts; they were normally her forte. Caitlyn was one of those people, though.

"I'll think of a response after I have my coffee," she finally answered, taking a sip.

"You're welcome, by the way," Caitlyn said smugly. "Now, where's Sam? I come here for him, not you two." She smirked to show she was kidding…partially.

"Shane got back from London finally, so he took him last night," Mitchie explained, placing her mug on the counter. She went over to the cabinet, pulling out the loaf of bread.

"Ah, that would explain it," Caitlyn said, watching as Mitchie placed a few slices in the toaster. "When's he bringing him back?"

"An hour or so," Alex said.

"I'll wait, then." Caitlyn nodded.

"Goody," Alex said lowly, earning a look from Mitchie. She plastered on a smile. "I mean, good. Great."

Caitlyn laughed. "Honestly, you guys can go back upstairs. I don't care." She shrugged. "I'll just go in Mitchie's studio and mess around on the keyboard. I'll crank it up so loud I won't hear a thing… hopefully."

Mitchie's favorite room in the house was her studio. It was downstairs, off to the back of the house. It had a beautiful piano, an electric keyboard, multiple guitars (electric and acoustic) and a bright red drumkit, the last of which being Alex's.

"No, it's fine," Mitchie said, ignoring Alex's stare. "We should probably eat breakfast and shower and get dressed before Sam's here, anyway. Right, Alex?" She finally met her wife's eyes.

Alex sighed, knowing Mitchie had a point. "Right." She nodded. "Want some breakfast, Caitlyn?"

"Sure."

"Cool," Alex said. "Mitch, all you. I'm gonna go shower." She placed a quick kiss on her wife's cheek and turned to walk out of the room.

"Another cold one?" Mitchie asked her retreating back in a teasing manner.

"Ha, ha," Alex laughed sarcastically and left the room.

"You guys are insatiable," Caitlyn said.

Mitchie took the toast from the toaster and placed two more slices in it and pulled the lever. "You're just jealous," she said as she went into the fridge and retrieved the butter.

"I am," Caitlyn said with a slight whine. "It's been so long." She placed her elbows on the counter and rested her chin in her hands.

Caitlyn and Gabe's relationship had imploded in college, and she hadn't really dated anyone since. Partially because she developed trust issues after finding out Gabe had drunkenly slept with some sorority bitch at a party for his stupid frat that Caitlyn had refused to go to. And Caitlyn wasn't the kind of girl who could sleep with anyone. She had to feel close to them, and she hadn't let anyone get that close in a long time.

"Have you given anymore thought to dating apps?" Mitchie asked, setting a plate with buttered toast in front of Caitlyn.

"I don't know," Caitlyn said and grabbed a banana from the bowl of fruit sitting on the counter in front of her. "I know lots of people meet that way, but I've also seen every episode of _Catfish_. I'm skeptical."

"Well then you should know how to not get duped by a Catfish," Mitchie said. She got her own toast out the toaster and started spreading butter over it. "It's worth a shot, is all I'm saying."

"Noted," Caitlyn said, and bit into her toast.

Mitchie sighed, knowing that was the end of the conversation. She felt bad for Caitlyn. She was a great girl who had so much to offer, and what Gabe did was inexcusable. No one deserved to lie awake at night wondering why they weren't good enough, let alone her wonderful best friend. Caitlyn deserved to be with someone who treated her like the treasure she was, but Caitlyn was stubborn. And picky. She constantly found something wrong with every guy she dated, or got ghosted by the ones she did actually like. It was a viscous cycle, and while Mitchie's heart ached for her friend, she was also thankful she didn't have to deal with dating in the current times. It sounded ridiculous.

* * *

Around ten Mitchie, Caitlyn, and Alex heard a knock on the door. Alex ran over to answer it, T-Rex on her heels.

"That must be Shane," Mitchie said, pausing the show they had been watching on the Smart TV.

"I have a key and Shane doesn't?" Caitlyn asked with a pleased smile.

"No, he does, he just doesn't abuse it like you do," Mitchie said, patting her friend on the knee.

Sam's voice floated into the room, his giggles echoing off the walls as Alex picked him up and swung him around upon seeing him. Moments later the eight-year-old ran into the room, chased by his small, brown companion. Alex and Shane appeared in the doorway shortly after, Sam's bag slung over Shane's shoulder.

"Nanny!" Sam exclaimed, throwing his arms around Caitlyn's neck.

"Hey, you," Caitlyn said with a laugh, patting his back.

"Really, Sam?" Mitchie asked, a little hurt. "You say hi to her before me?"

"Sorry, Mom," Sam said. He took a seat beside her on the couch and kissed her cheek. "I missed you."

"I missed you," she responded, affectionately stroking his hair. "Did you have fun? What did you do?"

"They went see the new _Jurassic World_ ," Caitlyn answered, looking at her phone.

Shane's jaw dropped. "How did you know?"

"I'm literally reading about it on TMZ right now," Caitlyn answered, holding up her phone to show the article.

"I'm on the internet?" Sam exclaimed excitedly. "Lemme see!" He grabbed the phone from her.

Mitchie fixed Shane with a hard look before peeking at the phone over Sam's shoulder.

"Shane, didn't we just discuss this yesterday morning?" Alex asked.

"Technically that conversation was about _Jurassic Park_ ," Shane said slowly.

"Same difference!"

"He wanted to see it!" Shane held up his hands in defense. "He's older now, he said he'd be fine."

"And you believed him?" Caitlyn asked with a snort. "Even I know better."

"Listen to this, 'Rockstar dad Shane Gray takes son on outing,'" Mitchie said, reading the headline. "Great. You do the thing I told you not to do, and you get praised by the press. I let him ride a bike without a helmet one time and people threaten to call social services on me." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Because that's fair."

When Mitchie, and by association Alex and Sam, became famous people of course wanted to know who the father was. It was something she knew was unavoidable, but something she wanted to reveal on her terms. That's why they all went through such lengths to keep Tess from spilling the beans nearly seven summers ago during Mitchie's second stint at Camp Rock. After months of hounding by the press, though, Mitchie, Alex, and Shane talked it over and decided it was best to just come clean before anything got leaked out. That way they were in control of the story. They decided to do a YouTube video, giving out very few fine-tuned details, only giving the basic information. It was met with millions of views and comments within the first few hours. After that the paparazzi followed Mitchie and Alex wherever they went.

After a few weeks it died down, and the photo hounds were onto their next story. But they still had a few that liked to hang out every now and then, and with Mitchie in and out of the studio working on a new album, they were anxious to get a scoop.

"Figures," Alex said. "We can't do anything right apparently." She sat in an armchair adjacent to the couch and propped her feet up on the coffee table.

"Sam, why don't you and Nanny bring T-Rex outside?" Mitchie asked her son. "Mama and I need to talk to your dad."

"Okay," he said, jumping to his feet. "Let's go, Nanny." He grabbed her hand and pulled her off the couch.

"This can't be good," Shane said as Sam and Caitlyn left the room with the dog. He sighed and went to sit on the couch next to Mitchie, placing Sam's bag beside him. "Look, I'm sorry about the movie. It was a dumb move."

"Oh, this isn't about the movie," Mitchie said, waving off his comment.

"It's not?" Alex said, a confused look on her face.

"No, it's about the other thing," Mitchie said with a pointed look.

"We're telling him now?"

Mitchie shrugged. "Why not?"

"Can someone please tell me what you're talking about?" Shane interrupted, looking back and forth between the women.

Mitchie and Alex exchanged a nod, and Mitchie cleared her throat.

"We're having a baby," she told him.

Shane starred at her for a moment, stunned. This was not what he'd expected.

"Hold on," he said, scratching his head. "At the risk of sounding stupid: how? I mean, you're gay."

"Very observant of you, Shane," Alex said sarcastically. "What tipped you off? Was it our wedding- which you attended?"

Shane rolled his eyes at her. "Okay, you know what I meant." He looked at Mitchie. "I know how we got Sam, because I was there. But you and Alex weren't together then. How does it work without… you know, the guy?" He quickly held up his hands at the look she gave him. "Hey, I'm not trying to be offensive. I just really don't know."

"It's called artificial insemination, Shane," Mitchie explained. "We just need a sperm donor, and doctors will do the rest."

"Oh," Shane slowly. "So… Are you… Is this you asking me for my sperm?"

"Oh, god, no!" Alex exclaimed, disgust showing on her face. "I don't want any part of your DNA in my body."

"In _your_ body?" Shane asked, turning to her. "You're having the baby?" Alex nodded, raising her eyebrows. Shane let out a low whistled, and said, "I did not see that coming. I mean, I really didn't. I can't picture you pregnant, Alex."

"Why?" she questioned, glaring. "Is it because I'm so butch?"

"I called you that one time," he said quickly. "And I have since apologized." His brows knit together as a thought occurred to him. "So if you're not asking me for sperm, who is your donor?"

"Justin," Alex said, leaning back into the armchair.

Shane shook his head lightly and blinked at her. "Your brother?"

Alex nodded. "He signed the papers this week and got them back to us."

"Alright, I know I don't know much, but I know you can't have a baby with your brother," Shane said. "Even if there's no sex involved, it's still kind of incest."

"Not if it's my egg," Mitchie said casually, inspecting her nails.

"Come again?" Shane stared at her.

"Her egg, my uterus," Alex said, placing her hand on her stomach.

"What?" Shane asked, still not quite following.

"My bun, her oven," Mitchie said. "Like a surrogate."

"They can do that now?" Shane asked in amazement.

"Um, yeah," Mitchie said with a laugh. "Lots of people do it, not just gay people. A lot of rich folks who don't want to go through pregnancy or don't want it to interfere with work."

"Celebrities, too," Alex added. "That's how Kim and Kanye had their last kid. You didn't hear about that?"

"I did, but I didn't know it was another woman's eggs," Shane said. "I thought it was the eggs of the woman who carried it."

"Well, you learn something new every day," Alex told him. "So you're welcome."

Shane sighed and rubbed his temples. "My head hurts." He looked back and forth between the women. "But congrats. Really. I'm happy for you both."

Mitchie reached out and grabbed his hand, bringing it away from his head. She squeezed his fingers lightly.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"Of course," he said, nodding. "You deserve this. You're an awesome mom," he turned to Alex. "You, too." He offered her a smile. She returned it, grateful.

That meant a lot, especially since in the early days of Alex and Shane's relationship he had the audacity to claim Alex wasn't Sam's mom. He'd since learned his lesson, in a big way.

"And," Shane continued, "I'm happy it's on your own terms this time." He looked at her apologetically. "Have I mentioned recently how sorry I still am?"

"No, but I never get tired of hearing it," Mitchie said, narrowing her eyes at him.

"I'll never stop saying it," Shane told her. "Or making it up to you." He took his hand back and placed it in his lap. "Actually, there's something I was hoping to talk to you about, and this seems as good a time as any."

"Okay?" Mitchie looked at him quizzically.

Shane hesitated, trying to figure out the best way to go about this. He had to tread lightly. If he used the wrong words his question was sure to be met with a resounding _no_. Or in Alex's case a _fuck no_.

"So, Sam told me last night he wanted to spend more time with me," he began slowly. "And I'd kind of like that, too. I know we had the every-other-weekend agreement," he glanced back and forth between the women, growing nervous at their blank expressions, "but that was when Sam was still getting used to me. He hated being away from you. He asked to be brought back to your house the first few times I took him."

"We remember," Mitchie said, smiling at the memory. It was a little endearing that Sam couldn't be away from them. And to be honest they'd missed him the moment he left and were thrilled when Shane called to say they were coming back. But things were different now. Sam was older. He loved going to Shane's, and Mitchie and Alex had grown to enjoy their time alone. Plus, with a baby about to be added to the equation it would probably be nice to have more help with Sam.

"I know I'm not the perfect father," Shane continued. "Far from it. But I want to try to be better. I'm trying every day."

"Yeah, Shane, and we see that," Alex said. "But being a parent is more than the fun and games you're used to. You have him for a day, maybe two. On the weekends." She shook her head. "It's so much harder during the week. You have to wake him up, pack his lunch, bring him to school, pick him up, help him with his homework, make sure he bathes and brushes his teeth."

"I could handle all of that," he said defensively. "Besides, he's in second grade. How hard can his homework be?"

"You'd be surprised," Mitchie said. "They changed math."

"How do you change math?" Shane asked. "Like, it's math. How do you possibly change two plus two?"

"You're preaching to the choir, here," Alex said, growing frustrated just thinking about it. She hated math to begin with, and of course school had to go and make it worse. Typical. "But honestly, Shane, I don't think you know what you're getting yourself into. Part-time parenting is a lot harder than full-time. You have to actually set structure and rules, and that's not something I think you can do."

"We could always write him up a rule list for him to follow," Mitchie said thoughtfully.

Alex stared at the songstress. "Mitch, tell me you're not considering this."

"Why not?" she asked with a shrug. "Shane has surprised both of us and stepped up in ways you nor I ever expected him to."

"Uh, I'm sitting right here," Shane said, raising a hand to express his presence.

"He wants to make our lives a little easier and give us a break," Mitchie went on, ignoring the man. "I say let him. It would give us more time together, just the two of us. I know you love that." Mitchie gave her a smile, which Alex returned shyly with a blush. "Plus, once you're pregnant it's going to be tougher on both of us. Sam may not get all the attention he's used to, especially when the baby comes. Maybe this could be a good thing."

Alex stared at Mitchie, stunned. She couldn't believe she was hearing this. Shane was never supposed to be part of Sam's life. That was never part of the plan. Then again, plans changed. All the time. And you must adapt. After all, Mitchie had a point. It would be nice to have more time together, just them. And as much as she would miss Sam, she knew things would be harder with a baby on the way. God, was she actually starting to like this idea?

"Fine," she finally agreed with a heavy sigh. Shane pumped his fist in the air triumphantly, so Alex quickly added, "But on a trial basis only for the time being."

Shane nodded his head. "Of course, yeah." He smiled. "Thank you. Really." He looked to Mitchie. "So, when can I take him again?"

Mitchie pondered for a moment. "Well, let's start small. Tomorrow's Monday. How about you start picking him up and bringing him to school in the morning, then pick him back up and bring him back here after?" she offered. "Then Thursday you can bring him back to your place after school and keep him 'til Sunday. Sound good?"

"That'll give us time to come up with our list of rules," Alex added, reminding Shane of the responsibility before he got too excited.

"Great," Shane said, his smile not faltering. "You won't regret this, I promise."

"Time will tell," Alex said. "You wanna go tell him the good news?"

"Yeah," Shane said, standing.

"One more thing," Mitchie added quickly. "Only tell him that news, not our news." She gestured back and forth between her and Alex. "We don't want him to know anything just yet."

"Your secret is safe with me," Shane said with a wink before walking to the doorway leading to the kitchen.

Alex waited for him to exit the room to speak again. "Are you sure about this?" she asked.

Mitchie looked to her. "No, but I think it's worth exploring."

"I hope you're right."

Mitchie stood from the couch and went over to Alex, sitting in her lap. Alex wrapped her arms around Mitchie's torso, holding her close.

"I hope I am, too," Mitchie said with a sigh. "We'll figure it out, though. We always do."

Alex nodded and kissed Mitchie quickly on the lips. After she gazed at Mitchie, trying to be confident. She wanted Mitchie to be right, she wanted to feel okay. But at the moment she just wasn't sure. A part of her still didn't trust Shane, even though Mitchie seemed to have forgiven his past discrepancies (though they were never forgotten). So, she kissed Mitchie again, because kissing Mitchie was one of the few things that reassured her. When she kissed Mitchie all her fears vanished. There was nothing else, just Mitchie. With every moment their lips were pressed together Alex's anxiety eased, and she started to feel like maybe, just maybe, everything would be okay.

* * *

 **And there you have it. Now you know what they're up to. Review if you wish, tell me your thoughts.**

 **Until next time,**

 **-DF**


	4. Parenting

**Hello, my lovelies. New chapter coming at ya.**

 **I do not own the song "It's Not Too Late"**

* * *

Mitchie and Alex watched out of the glass door to the kitchen as Shane, Sam, and Caitlyn tossed a football back and forth. Sam fumbled with a catch from Caitlyn, but ultimately caught it and smiled widely at his success. Then he threw it to Shane, but it went a little high. Though Shane jumped to catch it, it soared over his head, and landed into the salt-water pool behind him. Alex laughed as she watched Shane sigh, then go over to the pool and use the net to fish the ball out for the fifth time since they'd been spying on them.

"You'd think he would learn to move away from the pool at this point," Alex commented.

"It's Shane," Mitchie said with a shrug. "He's only an evil mastermind, not a genius."

"Thank god Sam got your brains," Alex said with another laugh.

"No kidding," Mitchie said. She watched as Caitlyn began to jog over and opened the door for her.

"Shit, it's hot out there," Cailyn said, relishing in the AC as soon as she was in the kitchen. She put her sunglasses on top of her head and went over to the fridge, taking out a bottle of water.

"Hey, I finally came up with a comeback for earlier," Alex said, smirking.

Caitlyn raised her eyebrows as she took a big swig of water. "Do tell," she said and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"You're as bad as Harper." Alex crossed her arms over her chest and smiled mischievously at her friend. She was referring to, of course, her own best friend's irritating habit of barging into her family's apartment unannounced, even after Alex and Mitchie moved into their own place.

Caitlyn didn't bat an eyelash. "I like Harper, so I take that as a compliment."

"Awe, come on!" Alex said in exasperation. She sighed. "You know she moved into my old bedroom after Mitchie and I got married?" She shook her head. "She _still_ lives there. When Mitchie and I visit, we have to sleep in Justin's old room, and Sam bunks with Max."

"With Max?" Caitlyn's eyes widened. "Sam has all his tetanus shots, right?"

"Of course," Alex said. She sat at the bar island and put her elbows on the counter, resting her chin in her hands. "But do you know how disturbing it is to sleep in the bed my brother probably lost his virginity in?"

"Harper sleeps in the one you lost yours in," Mitchie said with a grin as she sat beside Alex.

"She chose that knowingly, though," Alex said, casting her eyes at Mitchie and smirking. Her mind flashed back to that night, and she became lost in her memories of her and Mitchie's first fumbled adventure under the covers.

"I think we've lost Alex," Caitlyn said with a laugh when she noticed the far-away look on the Latina's face.

The back door opened, and Sam and Shane walked in, their faces red and glistening with sweat. Sam immediately went over to the fridge and pulled out a soda, ready to crack it open and chug its contents immediately.

"Samuel James," Mitchie said sternly, raising her eyebrows at her son. He sighed and rolled his eyes, putting the soda back in the fridge and taking out a bottle of water instead.

"Dad lets me have soda whenever I want," he said with a sniff as he opened his drink.

Alex reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She opened the notes and started typing. "No soda whenever he wants," she said as she typed. When she was done she handed her phone to Mitchie. "Might as well get started on this list now. Anything you want to add?"

Mitchie took the phone thoughtfully. "Let's add something about mandatory fruits and vegetables too."

"Moms," Sam said with a groan and looked to Shane. "Do something, Dad," he pleaded with his father.

"Sorry, dude," Shane said and shrugged. "They're the bosses."

"And don't you forget it," Alex said, squinting her eyes at the man.

"Never." Shane nodded. "Anyway, I'm gonna take off. I have a lot of stuff to take care of now that I'm back. I'll see you tomorrow morning." He patted Sam on the shoulder. "Walk me out?"

Sam pouted, but nodded and grabbed Shane's hand, leading him out of the kitchen.

"Tomorrow?" Caitlyn asked with raised eyebrows when Shane and Sam had left the room. "I know Shane told Sam you said they could spend more time together, but so soon?"

"He's just doing school pickups and drop-offs for now," Mitchie said. "Nothing big."

"Still, I'm surprised. I didn't expect Shane to ever want that, or for you two to agree to it." Caitlyn chewed her bottom lip.

"Trust me, Cait, no one's more surprised than me," Alex said, gazing over at Mitchie.

Mitchie reached out and took Alex's hand, giving her fingers a squeeze. She knew Alex was still on the fence about this, but Mitchie had a good feeling about it. Besides, if it was something Sam wanted she didn't want to say no and risk him resenting her. So, she said yes and hoped deep down she'd made the right decision, despite Alex's hesitance.

* * *

Monday morning Alex woke up before the alarm, already growing anxious, knowing Shane would be coming to collect Sam soon. She got out of bed carefully, trying not to wake Mitchie in the process.

Downstairs she busied herself with making coffee and starting breakfast. By the time Mitchie came downstairs herself there was a full spread of blueberry muffins, sausage, and scrambled eggs on the table. Alex handed her surprised wife a cup of coffee and greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.

"Good morning," she said, smiling at the singer.

"Someone's been busy," Mitchie commented. "You made muffins?" She went over to the table and picked one up off the plate, examining it.

"Just from a box," Alex said with a shrug. "I was in the mood for them."

"I am, too, now," Mitchie said and took a bite. They were still warm.

"Sit down, eat," Alex instructed her, pulling out her wife's usual chair. Mitchie obeyed, and Alex kissed the top of her head. "I'll go wake Sam."

* * *

At quarter to eight the doorbell rang. Sam immediately tried to jump up from the table to go answer it, but Mitchie pushed him back in his seat.

"Finish breakfast," she instructed. "I'll get it." She stood from the table and exited the kitchen. T-Rex, who had been watching them closely in case they dropped food, started to follow her, curious to see who was at the entrance to the house. He stopped short of the door, though, and went back under the table. Food was more important.

"Sam, do you want an apple or a banana for lunch?" Alex said from the counter, where she was busy packing Sam's lunchbox for the day.

"I want cookies," he told her and shoveled the last bit of eggs in his mouth.

"Yeah, no, I don't think so," Alex said, rolling her eyes. "Apple it is." She grabbed one from the fruit bowl and added it to the bag, which contained a sandwich, carrot sticks, a bottle of water, and a leftover muffin from breakfast as well.

Shane and Mitchie appeared in the doorway, and Sam hopped up, going over to Shane and hugging him around his midsection.

"Hi, Dad," he said, looking up to Shane.

"Hey, bud," Shane said with a smile. "Ready for school?"

"No," Sam said, shaking his head and releasing Shane.

"Yes, he is," Alex corrected, walking over with Sam's lunchbox and handing it to Shane. "Here's his lunch. Don't let him forget it in your car. He likes to do that." She gave Sam a playful glare.

Sam's face reddened. "I'm gonna go get my bag," he muttered, leaving the room.

The three adults made their way to the foyer, where Sam was picking up his schoolbag from by the door and shouldering it. Shane took his keys out of his pocket and jingled them.

"Let's get going," he said. "Don't want to be late."

"I want that," Sam said honestly.

"You're just as bad as Alex was," Mitchie said with a laugh. She kissed the crown of Sam's head. "Have a good day. Don't forget to write down your assignments."

"I won't," he told her as he went over and hugged Alex. "Dad's coming get me, too, right?" He looked at the man expectantly.

"Three o'clock sharp," he said with a nod, then looked to Mitchie. "Right?"

"Three o'clock," Mitchie said, nodding as well. "But get there a little early. The pickup line is ridiculous."

"Gotcha," Shane said, and swung the door open. He and Sam walked out into the bright sunlight, and he gave Alex and Mitchie a small, appreciative smile before closing the door behind him.

Alex stared at the door, her heart panging. She and Mitchie always drove Sam to school together, it was part of their routine. She hated getting up early, but that time with Sam was something she enjoyed. Sometimes life got so busy school drop-offs and family dinner were the only time they all got together.

"We should clean up breakfast and get ready to go to the studio," Mitchie announced, causing Alex to be torn from her thoughts, reminding her of their other responsibilities. "That third album's not gonna record itself."

* * *

Alex had remained Mitchie's drummer, something Mitchie insisted upon when it was time to go on tour. For the first album they'd had a professional come in and do the drumming during recording, but when it was time for tour and to get a band together, Mitchie refused to do it unless Alex was behind the drumkit every night. Caitlyn was her keyboard player, and after Connect 3 broke up shortly after Mitchie's second summer at Camp Rock, Jason came on board as lead guitar. As for bass, they rotated a few people in and out before finally finding Regan, a short, spunky young woman with a blonde pixie cut and several facial piercings. She was positive and bubbly, bringing new energy Mitchie appreciated. Harper had come along as well as Sam's official babysitter while his mothers, godmother, and uncle took the stage, but had returned to New York after the tour ended.

The whole band was in the studio, sitting in the mixing booth listening as Mitchie put the last of the vocals on her newest song, which they'd been hard at work on all week. It was called "It's Not Too Late," and it was about her second summer at Camp Rock, when Alex found out about Shane, Shane found out about Sam, and it felt like her whole world was collapsing in on itself.

"I never meant to let you all down. Now I've got to try (got to try) to turn it all around (all around)," Mitchie sang into the mic, hands placed on the overlarge headphones covering her ears. "And figure out how to fix this. I know there's a way, so I promise (promise). I'm gonna clean up this mess I made." She locked eyes with Alex on the other side of the glass, who gave her a thumbs up. "Maybe it's not too late… Maybe it's not too late."

She finished, smiling widely at her friends clapping in the control room. "How was that, Jack?" Mitchie asked the producer sitting behind the board.

"Great, Mitchie," he said, pressing the button that allowed him to talk to her. "I think we got it. Why don't you come on out?"

Mitchie nodded and removed her headphones, setting them on the stand in front of her. Alex was waiting at the studio door when she exited, immediately wrapping her arms around the singer.

"That was beautiful, Mitch," Alex said, releasing her wife and smiling brightly at her.

"You've heard me sing it at least a dozen times by now, Lex," Mitchie said, rolling her eyes, though she was smiling as well.

"Mitchie, I'm like, in awe, seriously," Regan said as she walked over. "Your voice is just amazeballs."

"People still say amazeballs?" Caitlyn quipped from her spot on the recliner. Regan stuck out her tongue at the keyboardist in response.

Jason sat in the rolling chair next to Jack, sniffling and wiping his eyes. "Mitchie, that was so gorgeous," he said and took a tissue from the box on the side table.

"Awe, Jason, why are you crying?" Mitchie asked, going over to pat his back.

"Because it was so pretty and emotional." He blew his nose into the tissue.

"You guys ready to hear the finished product?" Jack asked, glancing over his shoulder at all of them.

Mitchie took a deep breath. "Let's hear it."

* * *

Shane had expected there to be a line for student pickup because Mitchie had warned him, but he didn't think it would be two complete city blocks long by the time he got there (which was over a half hour early). And since he'd gotten in line it had only gotten worse. There were cars behind him stretching as far as he could see. Thankfully they'd started moving right at three, though, and he was nearly to the front. He could see teachers ushering kids into vehicles and directing traffic. When it was finally his turn he rolled down his window to talk to the teacher on duty.

"Child?" she asked, clipboard in hand.

"Samuel Torres-Russo," he answered.

The teacher frowned at him. "You're not Mitchie, Alex, or Caitlyn. Who are you?"

Shane resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Seriously, they knew Caitlyn, but they didn't know him? He was _Shane Gray_.

"His father," he said, sliding down his sunglasses. "Shane Gray, of Connect 3?"

She stared at him, recognition briefly crossing her features. Finally, she flipped through her clipboard and glanced at the paperwork.

"Ah, Mr. Gray, yes, I see here that you're an approved pickup person," she said.

"I should hope so," he muttered.

The teacher turned and called out Sam's name, which was repeated by a teacher just inside the building. Sam rounded the corner and walked out, a huge smile on his face when he saw that Shane had kept his word and picked him up like promised. The woman opened the door for Sam, and he climbed in. She helped Sam with his buckle and closed the door, waving Shane off so the next car could take his place.

* * *

Alex and Mitchie had been home from the studio for not even twenty minutes when Shane showed up with Sam. They gathered in the living room, Sam seated in between his mothers on the couch. The young boy began animatedly talking to his mothers about his day, while Shane watched from the armchair, listening with amusement. He'd heard the whole story on the car ride over.

After Sam was finished Shane surprised both women by offering to stay and help Sam with his homework. Alex immediately took him up on his offer, pulling Mitchie up and off the couch before she had a chance to disagree. They headed upstairs, where they changed into their bikinis. On the way out to the pool they offered their thanks to Shane, who was sitting with Sam at the kitchen table, schoolwork spread out in front of them.

"You know," Alex commented as they dropped their towels on the deck chairs, "as much as I hate to admit it, maybe you were right about this Shane thing. It's nice to get some of the afternoon to ourselves."

"Alex, are you saying you were wrong?" Mitchie asked, raising her eyebrows from behind her overly large sunglasses. "I never thought I'd hear the day that those words came out of your mouth."

"Don't get used to it," Alex said with a smirk. She winked at Mitchie before jumping into the deep end of the pool. When she surfaced she waved to her watching wife. "Come on, get in."

"In a minute," Mitchie said. She went over and dipped a toe in, testing the temperature. "Holy shit, that's cold," she said, pulling her foot back out. "And you just jumped in? Are you nuts?"

"It's the quickest way to get over the shock," Alex said, wading to keep herself afloat.

"Ya know, I think I'm just gonna tan," Mitchie said, deciding against getting in the water. "It's only April, after all. I can wait to swim 'til May."

Alex swam over to the edge of the pool and rested her arms on the ledge, watching as Mitchie sat herself in one of the deck chairs and spread out.

"You're seriously gonna make me swim by myself?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow at her lover.

"You're not _by yourself_. I'm right here. I'm just not getting in." Mitchie leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes, ready to enjoy relaxing in the ever-present California sun.

Alex refused to take that for an answer. She swam to the shallow end of the pool and climbed out using the concrete steps built into the side. Mitchie never saw her coming. It wasn't until she felt herself being lifted from her chair that she opened her eyes.

"Alex, no," Mitchie said quickly, attempting to squirm out of her wife's arms.

Alex ignored her protests, carried her over to the pool, and sent them both tumbling into the water. Mitchie felt like jumping out of her skin the water was so cold. She surfaced, coughing and fuming. Beside her, Alex had surfaced as well. And the Latina was laughing her head off.

"It's not funny, you jerk," Mitchie said, splashing her. "I lost my sunglasses."

Alex responded by diving under the water, retrieving the eyewear. Then she swam back up, kicking off the bottom of the pool. "There," she said, placing them back on Mitchie's face.

Mitchie scoffed and attempted to swim away from Alex, but the former wizard was persistent. She followed her wife to the shallow end, grabbing her wrist when they were able to stand once again, the water just above their shoulders.

"Mitchie, are you seriously mad at me?" Alex asked.

Mitchie sighed and looked to her wife. Alex was giving her a pout, making her lips full. Her wet hair was slicked back, and beads of moisture rolled down her skin. Mitchie followed a drop as it made its way past the mole on the inside of Alex's breast. God, Alex was gorgeous. Why was she annoyed with her again?

"No," Mitchie said, exhaling. She wrapped her arms around Alex's neck. "How could I be mad at you?"

"You really can't." Alex grinned cheekily and placed her hands on Mitchie's waist.

Mitchie pressed her lips to Alex's ear. "Think we can make love in here without them noticing?"

Alex's breathing hitched as she felt Mitchie's teeth nibbling on her ear. She shivered pleasantly and moved her hands to Mitchie's ass, squeezing softly.

"We can sure try," she said in a low voice.

Mitchie pulled away and looked at her, giving her a devilish grin. Alex licked her lips and closed her eyes, then leaned into kiss Mitchie. Mitchie, seeing her opportunity, placed her hands atop Alex's head and ducked her wife under water. Alex was shocked, and she gasped, taking in a little water. She surfaced, sputtering while Mitchie stood beside her, laughing heartily.

Alex pounded herself on the chest, coughing up the last of the water. When she was finished she fixed her still-giggling wife with a glare.

"Now we're even," Mitchie said.

"Oh really?" Alex asked, somewhat hoarsely. "I don't think so. Get over here, Torres."

Alex dove after Mitchie, who pushed off the bottom of the pool and swam away, squealing.

* * *

From the kitchen Sam and Shane heard yells and looked out the window to see splashing and thrashing as Alex caught Mitchie and pulled them both under the water. Shane shook his head. At least someone was having fun.

"This is so boring," Sam complained, rolling his pencil back and forth on the table. "Can't I go swimming with Moms?" He looked at Shane pleadingly.

Shane had the urge to say yes. The word almost left his lips. But then he remembered Mitchie and Alex only agreeing to let him see Sam more if he abided by their rules and conditions. And though he didn't have an actual list yet, he knew making sure Sam's homework was done was one of them.

"Sorry, Sam," Shane said instead. "You want to come to my house more, you have to finish your homework." He patted the boy's shoulder. "This way your moms can't say no, though, right?"

Sam sighed and shrugged. "I guess so." He picked up his pencil and began writing his spelling words out again.

Shane swelled with pride. He'd done it. He'd said no, with no backlash. It was a huge moment for him. He smiled to himself, confident Mitchie and Alex were wrong about him. He could handle this. No sweat.

* * *

 **Boom. I would love to know how you guys feel about this so far, so please review if you want to let me know. I know there are some mixed feelings out there. All I can say is: trust me. You guys know me. I always have a plan.**

 **Until next time,**

 **-DF**


	5. The Appointment

**Hello, darlings. I am SO SORRY this took a while. Long story short, my (brand new) computer broke and it took way longer than expected to get it fixed. And this was after I was suffering from writer's block after hearing the news about Demi. It shook me to my core. It's hard writing about a character of hers being so happy when in reality it's so far from the truth.**

 **Anyway, I'm back. The block is gone. Onward.**

* * *

Thursday morning came too soon. Alex and Mitchie had been working on a list of rules all week, but to Alex it still didn't feel complete. She felt like there were a million things she and Mitchie were forgetting to add, and she would never forgive herself if something happened to Sam because she forgot to put something simple.

"What about washing his hands after he uses the bathroom?" Alex asked from the kitchen table, staring down at the list on her phone intently.

"Mom, I always do that," Sam said, rolling his eyes. He downed the rest of his orange juice and wiped his mouth with his shirtsleeve. "You're being crazy." He got up and went to put his dishes in the sink.

"You kind of are, babe," Mitchie agreed, placing her hand on Alex's arm, causing the Latina to meet her gaze. "Chill out."

The sound of the front door opening and closing caused T-Rex to stop his constant begging and bolt from the room, barking his head off. While he was concerned with who was coming into the home, the Torres-Russo clan was not. Tuesday morning they'd told Shane to just use his key instead of ringing the bell, since they knew he was coming. It saved them the trouble of stopping what they were doing to let him in.

Shane appeared in the doorway with T-Rex nipping at his heels. His sunglasses were hooked on the collar of his black v-neck, and he put his hands in his jean pockets as he leaned against the kitchen doorframe.

"Morning, everyone," he greeted.

"Hey," Alex said in a dismissive tone, eyes locked on her phone again. "I'm gonna text you the new additions to this list in a second."

"Alex, it's already so long," he said, rolling his eyes. "I'm not gonna kill him, my god."

"Not if I have anything to do with it." She shot the man a glare.

Mitchie shook her head and stood from the table. "Come on, honey, let's walk them out." She shoved Alex's shoulder, prompting her to stand.

The four walked to the front entrance together, where Sam's schoolbag and duffel bag for the weekend sat waiting by the door. T-Rex sniffed them anxiously, whining at the fear of his favorite human leaving him.

"Don't worry, T," Sam told him, bending over and scratching the dog's ears. "I'll be back Sunday." He picked up his schoolbag and shouldered it.

Shane grabbed the duffel and Sam's lunchbox from Alex's outstretched hand.

"He gets a sandwich, a drink, and a few snacks. Healthy ones," she told him. "He has an icepack in there to keep the sandwich fresh. Make sure you remember to freeze it overnight."

"Give me a hug, baby," Mitchie said to Sam, holding her arms open. He hugged her, and she squeezed him extra hard, knowing it would be a few days before she could do so again. "I love you so much. I'll miss you."

"You too," Sam said, next going to Alex and wrapping his arms around her waist. "And you, Mama."

Alex held Sam to her, biting her lip in an attempt not to show how much this tore her apart. She cleared her throat and let him go, putting on a smile for him.

"Love you," she said softly. "Behave."

Shane waved at them as the pair made their way outside. Alex had to grab T-Rex by the collar to keep him from chasing after them. Once the door was closed Alex released the dog and straightened, turning to her wife.

"I miss him already," she admitted with a pout.

Mitchie nodded, understanding. "I know, but Sunday's gonna be here before you know it." She smiled, reassuring her wife. "Plus, we have our appointment tomorrow. That's exciting."

"Yeah," Alex said with a sigh and chewed the inside of her cheek.

Mitchie could tell Alex wasn't convinced, that her mind was still clouded over with worry. She just needed to stop thinking about it.

"Ya know," Mitchie said, wrapping her arms around Alex's neck, "we don't have to be at the studio for _hours_." Her lips twitched into a smile. "Wanna go upstairs and fool around?"

Alex grinned, gripping Mitchie's waist. "You know I do."

"Race ya," Mitchie said with a devilish grin and released Alex, turning and taking off up the stairs. Alex shook her head and chased after her wife, already running through in her head the unspeakable things she wanted to do to Mitchie.

* * *

Early Friday morning Alex and Mitchie sat in an exam room of one of Hollywood's finest fertility clinics. Excitement and anxiety buzzed between them, each fidgeting under the soft overhead lighting. They were seated on the exam table side-by-side, each wearing a gown and a bandage on their arms from having blood taken. The nurse had been in earlier to give them physicals, and they were just waiting on their doctor to come in and talk to them. Alex chewed her thumbnail and bounced her legs, nerves overtaking her. Mitchie played with her own hair absentmindedly, twirling it around her fingers. Alex's movements, however, jarred her from her thoughts.

"Lex," Mitchie said softly, removing Alex's hand from her mouth and squeezing it, "you're biting again."

Alex blushed. "Sorry," she said sheepishly. "I can't help it."

"I know," Mitchie said with a nod. "But I'm right here." She offered a smile. "We're in great health, okay? Everything's gonna be fine."

Alex quickly nodded as well and kissed Mitchie briefly. She took a deep breath and stared at her wife. She was fine, they were fine, everything was fine.

The door opened, causing both women to jump slightly. Dr. Matthews stood before them, smiling warmly. Her white doctor's coat covered her neat, black slacks and powder-blue blouse. She adjusted her wire-rimmed glasses as she closed the door. A long, black pony tail swung behind her as she grabbed her rolling stool and took a seat.

"Good morning, ladies," she said to them. "How are we?"

"We're good," Mitchie said, answering for both of them. "Nervous and excited, but good."

Dr. Matthews nodded. "Everyone is," she gave them another lipstick-painted smile. "But today is the easy day. Just a general checkup, and now we're going to go over the fertilization process." She folded her hands in her lap, looking at the women. "Now, I understand you got the paperwork all taken care of from the sperm donor?"

"My brother, yes," Alex said. "We have a copy with our lawyer and your office."

"Great. Now, do we know when he'll be making his donation?"

Alex cringed a little, not wanting to think about that part.

"Probably closer to the actual fertilization," Mitchie answered. "We haven't fine-tuned that, but we'll talk to him soon."

"Great," Dr. Matthews said again. "In the meantime, the bloodwork should be back in the next day or so. Once that's all clear we can go ahead and start you both on the invitro medication."

"Wait, why Mitchie?" Alex asked. "I'm the one having the baby."

"True, that's why I said both," Dr. Matthews explained. "This is how it works… Basically this medication will help Mitchie to produce more eggs than she already does. That way when we go on in for retrieval we have more to work with. The egg retrieval procedure is really simple." She glanced back and forth between the women, their attention focused on her. "We will put Mitchie under anesthesia, and using ultrasound guidance, we will place a needle through the top of the vagina and remove the eggs."

"Will it hurt?" Mitchie asked, a twinge of fear in her gut.

"You might have some slight cramping afterward, but you won't feel anything while it's happening," Dr. Matthews assured her. "We'll monitor you for an hour, and then you can go home. I would suggest taking it easy for the rest of the day."

"Then what happens?" Alex asked, curious about the rest of the process. She'd tried to read about it online, but reading wasn't exactly her favorite, so she got bored after two sentences and quit.

"Then in the lab we combine the egg and sperm. The next day we check for fertilization," Dr. Matthews said. "We wait a couple more days, then we implant the fertilized embryo into you, Alex. You both keep taking the invitro medication, and two weeks later we check back to see if we get the results we want. And if not, we try again." She smiled at them. "You're both young, so you have a better chance at this working the first time around."

"Let's hope so," Mitchie said, reaching out to take Alex's hand again.

"Be optimistic," Dr. Matthews told them. "We have a very high success rate."

Alex and Mitchie nodded, then looked to each other. They shared a small smile, silently reassuring the other.

* * *

Shane stood over the stove in his kitchen, stirring a pot of macaroni and cheese while chicken sizzled in the pan next to it. He was so thankful Jason had taught him the basics of cooking on the road all those years ago. He was no Gordon Ramsey, but at least he could cook his son a meal without poisoning them both.

Sounds of blasts and booms could be heard from his living room, where Sam was enjoying a superhero video game on the PS4. He'd been glued to it since they got home, not having homework on account of the weekend. And thank god for that. Shane didn't think he could sit through another math worksheet. Alex hadn't been kidding. They really did go and fuck up math. The schoolboard did that.

"Sam, turn that off, it's time to eat," Shane called out to him, switching off the burners on the stove.

"In a minute," came the reply.

Shane sighed and rolled his eyes. He took plates from the cabinet and placed chicken and macaroni on each. Setting both on the table, he peeked into the living room. Sam's head rested on the back of the couch, and it appeared he hadn't moved once since they'd been home. Shane walked into the living room and grabbed the controller from his hand. Sam rounded on him.

"Hey," he said crossly, grabbing for the controller. Shane held it above his head. "Dad," Sam grumbled.

"You have been playing all day," Shane told him. "You need to eat."

Sam let out a heavy sigh. "Fine." He stood and stomped into the kitchen.

Relieved, Shane turned off the PS4 and the TV. When he got to the kitchen Sam was grabbing a Coke out of the fridge. He quirked an eyebrow at Shane, tempting him to object. Shane hesitated. What should he do? Mitchie and Alex said no soda whenever he wanted, but Sam was already annoyed at Shane for turning off the game. Maybe he should just let it go. It was Friday, after all. Sam could stay up a little later because it wasn't like he had school the next day. One little soda was no big deal.

"Go ahead," Shane said. "Get me one too."

Sam smiled at his victory and opened the fridge, grabbing another sugary, highly caffeinated drink for his dad. He brought them to the table and sat next to Shane, handing over the beverage. Together they cracked them open and touched the rims together, toasting their meal. Sam took a swig happily before diving into his mac'n cheese.

"Want to play with me after dinner?" Sam asked around a mouthful.

"Don't you think you've played enough?" Shane asked, stabbing his chicken with his fork. Sam shook his head; Shane sighed. "Okay, but tomorrow we have to go outside at some point. Do something. Maybe go to the park. I don't want your moms to think all I do is let you rot your brain with video games."

"I like the park," Sam said, eyes lighting up with excitement. "Can we go to the one with the big, twisty slide?"

"Sure, I'll just ask one of your moms where it is," Shane said with a smile. "Now, eat." He pointed at Sam's neglected plate, the boy having been too excited by the idea of their outing to remember to eat. Sam nodded and mimed zipping his lips. He took a bite of chicken and looked to Shane for approval. Shane laughed and returned to his own meal.

* * *

Since Shane had Sam, Alex and Mitchie didn't get into the studio until around four in the afternoon. And then they hammered away at another song, doing most of the instrumental stuff before Mitchie got into the booth to do the vocals. Alex had a hard time focusing on her part after their appointment, her mind still swimming with words like egg retrieval and invitro. Not to mention her arm hurt like hell every time she bent it, which was a lot when playing the drums. After what seemed like forever and many mess-ups they decided to call it a night and all head home.

By the time they showered and climbed into bed it was nearly three am. As Alex's head hit the pillow she thought about how happy she was about the fact that she could sleep in the next day without an eight-year-old jumping on her, asking her to play soccer or hide and seek or some other sort of physical activity before she'd even had a chance to wipe the crust out of her eyes. But then she felt guilty. She loved Sam, and she missed him. But, she had to admit it was nice to have a break.

She sighed and turned over, facing Mitchie, who was occupied with something on her phone. Alex scooted closer to her.

"Babe, turn off the light," she said and placed a kiss on Mitchie's shoulder. "Let's go to sleep."

"Gimme a sec," Mitchie said, her eyes not leaving the screen. "I'm reading something about invitro fertilization."

Alex groaned. "Who _reads_ anymore?" She peeked at the phone. "Isn't there an informative video you catch watch or something?"

"I like reading," Mitchie defended with a laugh. "But fine." She locked her phone and placed it on the nightstand, then switched off the lamp.

She settled into Alex's side and nestled her head into the crook of her neck. Alex stroked Mitchie's hair with one hand and rubbed her back with the other.

"We have to talk to Justin about coming out for his… you know…" Mitchie muttered, absentmindedly tracing patterns on Alex's stomach with her fingers.

"Please don't talk about my brother's sperm when I'm holding you," Alex said. Mitchie couldn't see in the dark, but she knew Alex's face was probably screwed up in distaste.

"Sorry," Mitchie said with a chuckle. "But do I need to remind you that it was your idea to ask him to be the donor?"

"Who else were we supposed to ask?" Alex sighed. "I'd never let Shane knowingly father any of my children, and Justin's genes are basically mine. Not to mention, the whole wizard thing."

That was the deciding factor in asking Justin when it came down to it. Alex was proud of her wizard heritage, and if things were different magic could still very well be a part of her life. She still remembered all the spells and sometimes caught herself muttering them to herself under her breath when no one was around. She wanted deeply to pass that on to someone, to share and bond with her child as her father had with her. Wizard lessons were some of her favorite childhood memories. Plus, magic was just awesome.

"Have either of you told your parents yet?" Mitchie asked.

"No, but we also haven't told yours either, so there's that," Alex countered. "Plus, you know if we did you'd know, because there's no way I'm doing that without you."

"You're not doing any of this without me, stupid," Mitchie said with a laugh, poking Alex in the ribs.

Alex chuckled, and Mitchie felt it vibrate through her chest. Mitchie thought back to that night eight years earlier when she took a pregnancy test alone in her bathroom, her only comfort being Caitlyn on the other end of the phone. She'd never felt more scared or lonely in her life. But somehow, she'd managed to tell her parents and get through those agonizing nights when the tears wouldn't stop. Then she met Alex, and suddenly she wasn't alone anymore. She had someone to hold her hand and help her through the final hurdles. But at the beginning she hadn't. And that was tough. Mitchie didn't wish it on anyone, and she made a vow to herself that she would be there for Alex, through all of it. She would hold her hair during morning sickness, rub her feet when they ached, and whip up whatever crazy concoction Alex's pregnancy brain told her she wanted to eat. It would be Mitchie's way of repaying Alex for everything she'd ever done for her since they met. Because Alex had made her life so incredibly blessed, and Mitchie would never stop trying to show her how grateful she was.

* * *

Saturday morning Shane and Sam were up early so they could get to the park before the day got too unbearably hot. They stopped at Starbucks on the way and got pastries and drinks. Sam insisted that his moms let him get coffee, but Shane knew that was a lie because it was on the list. So in the end Shane got a latte and Sam begrudgingly got one of the Frappuccinos that didn't have coffee.

Shane put in the address for the park, which Mitchie had texted him that morning, and they were off. By the time they reached it Sam was chatting rapidly, on a sugar high despite Shane's best efforts at drink selection. He knew he was in trouble as soon as he saw the pink monstrosity that Sam had chosen. That thing was smothered in whipped cream.

As soon as Shane opened Sam's door Sam was off, making a dash for the big slide in the center of the playground. Shane sighed and followed, making sure he kept Sam in his line of sight. It wasn't even ten yet and the day was a scorcher. He scanned the sky in hopes of catching a cloud that would hopefully cover the sun but was disappointed to see none. Figured. California wasn't exactly known for its rain.

Sam reached the top of the slide and waved to Shane before going down, twirling and smiling all the way to the bottom. He jumped up ran around to the ladder, ready to go again. Shane watched him, a grin making its way to his face. Slides had always been his favorite, too.

He spotted a big tree closer to the swings, not far from the slide. Thank god. Shade. There was a blonde woman sitting on a blanket with a baby in her lap underneath. They both wore sun hats, the woman's eyes shielded by sunglasses. She watched a girl a little younger than Sam with dark brown curls push a baby doll in one of the kids' swings.

Shane didn't want to intrude on the woman, but he also desperately wanted to get out of the sun. Wiping sweat off his brow, he decided to just go over there. He crossed the park and hesitantly approached the tree. The woman never looked at him, her eyes only roaming from the girl at the swings to the infant in her arms, and back again. Shane cleared his throat to make his presence known. He didn't mean to startle her, but she jumped all the same. She froze when she looked at him, her mouth a thin white line.

Shane shifted under her gaze. "That your daughter?" Shane asked, nodding to the little girl with the doll, who was looking over curiously. When the woman didn't answer Shane realized how weird that sounded. "That's my son, over there," he said quickly, pointing to Sam, who was at the top of the slide once more.

The woman glanced over at the boy, staring at him for a moment. She looked back to Shane, her eyes still shaded behind dark designer sunglass frames, making her expression hard to read.

"I remember," the woman said finally, her voice somewhat strained. "He's gotten big."

Shane shook his head and looked at her curiously. "Excuse me?"

The woman sighed and finally removed her sunglasses. Shane nearly fainted.

"Hello, Shane," Tess Tyler said.

* * *

 **Bang.**

 **What's funny is I forgot that Tess and Shane thing happened until I reread the story. Like, wow, I really did that. But at least it will serve a purpose moving forward.**

 **Review if you wish (please?)**

 **Until next time.**

 **-DF**


	6. Let's Be Alone Together

**What's this? An update in two days? Yes! I've been super creative since getting my computer back. I love it.**

 **I do not own the song "Catch Me"**

* * *

Shane stared at Tess in disbelief, his jaw hanging open slightly. He had not seen Tess in close to seven years. The last time had been at Camp Rock, and they didn't exactly leave on the best terms. In fact, he was pretty sure Tess hated him with the white-hot passion of a thousand suns. But he deserved it. He did fuck her, video it, and blackmail her into silence. But it was all in the name of protecting his family, so that made it okay… Right?

"I—uh… Tess…" he searched for the right words, but none came. Finally, he settled on something simple. "Hi."

Her lips curled into a sneer. " _Hi_?"

"I didn't recognize you," he said quickly. "With the hat and sunglasses and all… Been a long time."

"Not long enough," she muttered, replacing the sunglasses back on her face. She cast a glance at the girl by the swings, then looked to Shane again. "I never thought I'd see you again."

"Me either," Shane admitted, kicking at the grass with his sneaker. "So, is that your daughter?" He looked over his shoulder, towards the swings. "How old is she?"

"She's six," Tess answered.

Shane froze, and what felt like ice spread through his chest. Six. He'd had sex with Tess almost seven years before. That meant there was a possibility that… No, no. He wouldn't be stupid enough to do that twice. Besides, he used a condom. Then again, they weren't always foolproof… Crap, had he done it again?

"Tess, uh," he said in a horse voice, "that's not my—uh, not my…?"

"Oh god, no," Tess said quickly, figuring out where he was going with that. "That's my stepdaughter, Kylie. She's my husband's from his first marriage." She looked down to the baby in her arms. "This one's mine, though."

Shane looked closer at the baby and noticed she was a girl, with blonde hair and careful, watchful eyes, just like Tess.

"She looks like you," he said softly and let out a relieved sigh.

Tess nodded. "Thank you."

An awkwardness hung in the air. Shane could feel Tess sizing him up behind her glasses. Her arms were wrapped protectively around the baby in her arms, as if she thought Shane was going to snatch her from her at any moment. Shane cleared his throat.

"Tess, about what happened at Camp Rock…"

"Oh, you mean you recording having creepy, masked-sex with me and blackmailing me?" Tess asked harshly and raised her eyebrows. "Which was all kinds of illegal, by the way."

Shane winced at her tone. "Yeah, that…" He wiped his suddenly sweaty palms on his jeans. "Well, I'm sorry about all that."

"'About all that?'" Tess sneered at him. "You _blackmailed_ me. With a sex tape!" She stood, balancing the baby on her hip. "Do you know what kind of psychological damage that did to me?"

Shane stared at her. "Uh, no…"

"Of course you don't," she spat. "Because you were the one in control of it. And nothing could be pinned on you. I'm the one who went to sleep every night terrified the video would be leaked online. So, I stopped sleeping. I stopped eating, and my paranoia took complete control over my life." She shook her head at him. "I stopped singing because I was constantly worried I would become famous and somehow it would get out there."

Shane nearly rolled his eyes at that. Of course she thought she'd become a famous singer. She thought she was hot shit but the truth was she wasn't even that good. She had an ego to match his, that was for sure. Then again, her mother was famous, and if there was one thing Hollywood loved, it was nepotism.

"I had no idea," Shane said slowly.

"No, you wouldn't, would you?" Tess laughed bitterly. "I mean, it's not like you landed in therapy over it. No, that was me."

"Therapy?" Shane asked, eyes wide.

"Yeah," Tess said dryly, nodding. "I should send you my bill. After all, you're the reason I'm in it."

Shane was dumbstruck. He'd never thought Tess would be capable of feeling any of that. He thought she was heartless, yet here was the proof that she had actual human emotions. And he'd hurt them. Even if it was for what he thought at the time was the greater good. Once again, he was staring at a woman he'd broken.

"Tess, I am so sorry," he said to her. "If I had known—"

"What, you wouldn't have done it?" Tess chuckled sarcastically. "Come on, Shane. Get real. We both know what kind of person you are."

"I'm not that person anymore," he said. "If I could go back and do it over—"

"But you can't," she said with a sigh. "What's done is done, and you can't erase what you did."

"I know that," he said quickly. He'd had that conversation with Mitchie before.

"The only thing we can do is accept what's happened and move on," she said softly, bending down carefully to grab the blanket, baby still balanced perfectly on her hip. "That's what my therapist tells me, anyway."

"Sounds like a smart guy," Shane said, nodding.

"She's a woman," Tess said, rolling her eyes. Typical man. Automatically assuming every doctor is male. "Kylie, come on, we're leaving!" she yelled to the girl at the swings. Kylie pouted at the announcement, but removed her doll from the swings and started making her way to the tree.

"You don't have to leave just because I'm here," Shane said, holding up his hands.

"Actually, I do," Tess said matter-of-factly as Kylie reached her. She handed the blanket to the six-year-old. "Can you carry this, sweetie?" she asked her with a small smile before turning her attention back to the headache of a man that stood before her. "You still don't get it, Shane. So let me spell it out for you." She fixed him with a hard look. "I _hate_ you. I wish you were dead. Nothing would make me happier than seeing you meet a bloody, sticky end. Your mere presence is making me physically sick. We are leaving because seeing you is triggering to me, and I have to call my therapist to see about getting an emergency appointment." The corners of her lips curled upward into a bitter smile. "So thanks for that. Really."

She put her hand on Kylie's back and began leading them away. The girl looked over her shoulder at Shane as they walked, watching him with curiosity.

"Tess, wait—"

"Don't," Tess warned, without stopping or looking back. She just kept moving forward with her children, to the parking lot. It took everything in her not to break down right there. She was biting her lip to prevent herself from crying so hard she was sure she drew blood.

After she fastened both children into their respective car seats she climbed into the driver's side and jammed the key into the ignition. As she turned it, she glanced up at the park. Shane was still standing under the tree, his eyes on the parking lot, fixed on her white BMW.

Tess's vision blurred as hot tears rolled down her face, finally losing her battle with her emotions. She swiped angrily at her eyes and pulled out of the gravel lot, spraying rocks with her tires and praying one of them found its way to Shane's car and cracked his windshield.

* * *

Alex slept in on Saturday, and it was glorious. Sometime after one she finally opened her eyes, rolling lazily onto her side from her stomach. She was disappointed to find her wife's side of the bed empty and cold, signaling she'd been awake for a while. Alex groaned and stretched, sitting up. She yawned loudly, looking around the room with tired eyes.

The sound of faint guitar music hit her ears, and Alex didn't have to investigate the noise to know it was Mitchie, no doubt down in her studio working on another song. She climbed out of bed and made her way down the stairs. When she reached the music room at the back of the house she was surprised to hear Mitchie talking to someone, someone with a deep voice.

Upon reaching the doorway Alex discovered that the deeper voice belonged to Nate. His hair was shorter now, buzzed and nearly bald, and he'd let his stubble grow out a little. He sat beside Mitchie on the couch, both holding guitars. They looked up when Alex appeared at the door, a smile making its way to Mitchie's face.

"She's alive," she said, standing and placing her guitar on the couch. She went over to her wife. "Good morning, sleepy head. Or should I say afternoon?"

"Hey," Alex responded. She kissed Mitchie on the cheek before nodding in Nate's direction. "And hey to you, too."

"Good to see you, Alex," Nate said with a nod.

"What's going on here?" Alex asked, crossing her arms over her chest and feeling awkward. She wished she'd known Nate was there before coming downstairs. She would have put on a bra.

"I was having trouble with the chorus of a new song," Mitchie explained. "So, I called Nate, and he came over." She reached out and tucked a strand of Alex's wild bedhead behind her ear. "Did we wake you?"

Alex shook her head. "No, but even if you did I needed to wake up anyway." She yawned, still trying to shrug off the sleepiness. "Is there coffee?"

"I made some this morning," Mitchie said with a nod. "Should still be in the pot."

"It'll be cold now," Nate said with a frown.

Alex looked at him. "Nate, believe it or not, there's this thing called the microwave."

The man's face reddened. "It's not the same," he muttered, fixing his attention back on the guitar in his hands.

"She's not picky," Mitchie said with a laugh. She reached out and grabbed Alex's hand, squeezing it, needing to touch her in some way. "Nate grabbed Chinese on the way over. There's still some in the kitchen."

"Good man, Nate," Alex said, smiling. She brought her and Mitchie's intertwined hands to her mouth and sweetly kissed the singer on the knuckles. "Be right back," she said before letting go of her wife and leaving the room.

When she got to the kitchen she found T-Rex staring intently at the takeout containers on the counter. He didn't even notice her come in, too absorbed in watching the food in case it some how managed to fall off the counter. Alex gently nudged him with her foot as she passed, and he skidded to the other side of the kitchen after having been caught.

"You're so desperate," Alex said as she went to the cabinet and got out a plate.

She served herself a heaping plate of lo mein and sweet and sour chicken and put it in the microwave. While that heated up she poured herself cold coffee into a glass and added creamer and ice. She'd busted Nate's balls about microwaving her coffee, but one look at the bright sunlight outside and she decided iced coffee sounded better.

T-Rex, seeing that Alex now had food, followed her as she left the kitchen and went back to the studio, where Nate and Mitchie were hard at work. They strummed away, talking every now and then about the arrangement of chords as Alex inhaled her food. When she was done she sat in silence, listening to them play and sing to the song they'd been working on. It was one Alex hadn't heard before, and she felt a twinge of jealousy that Nate got to hear it before she did. She knew it was stupid because she'd heard literally all of Mitchie's other songs first, but she couldn't help it.

* * *

"What if at this part we pick up the pace a little bit?" Mitchie asked, looking to Nate. "It's so soft and slow, I think it would really spice it up. Here, listen." She began strumming and singing softly. "You've got me laughing while I sing. You've got me smiling in my sleep." She began strumming faster and projected her voice more. "And I can see this unraveling. Your love is where I'm falling. So please don't catch me. If this is love please don't break me," she sang, her voice returning to a softer pitch for the last line. "I'm giving up so just catch me."

Alex clapped and hollered her approval, Mitchie beaming in response.

"I wonder who that's about," Alex joked, smirking.

"Just some girl," Mitchie said, batting her eyes at her wife.

Nate cleared his throat. He always felt odd when Alex and Mitchie flirted in front of him. It wasn't because they were girls, he felt that way around any couple. He was just a very private person, choosing only to show affection to his lovers when alone with them.

"I like it, Mitchie," he said, nodding. "I can hear violins at the beginning, and that last bit definitely lifts the song. Do you have a name?"

"'Catch Me,' obviously," she said, then looked to the other woman. "Alex, I think there's gonna be a really great drum part at the end. Do you want to start working on it?"

"My arm's still sore from yesterday," she said with a pout. It was only a little true. It kind of stung, but when it came down to it, she was just feeling lazy. Besides, she was hoping if they called it quits that meant Nate would leave, and that meant she and Mitchie could enjoy the last bit of their alone time before Shane brought Sam back the next day.

"Okay," Mitchie said with a frown. She really wanted to keep working on the song. That's how she got sometimes. All she could focus on was her music until she felt the song was complete. "Maybe Caitlyn is free and can come by. I could use her input."

Alex resisted the urge to groan in frustration. She knew how Mitchie was when she got herself involved with a new piece. It was best to just let her ride it out.

"I'll call her," Nate said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his cell phone.

Once again Alex wanted to groan. It didn't seem like Nate was leaving, either. So much for their last day alone.

* * *

After another two hours Caitlyn was finally putting her laptop back into its bag, and Nate was packing up his guitar. Alex felt like singing herself, ready to get her wife back to herself again. Not that she didn't love Nate and Caitlyn, but she saw Caitlyn enough during the week. And Nate had been there since that morning. Didn't he have things to do, a life to live?

"Mitchie, I think this is going to be my favorite on the album," Caitlyn told her with a huge smile.

"Me too," the singer agreed, smiling as well. "God, we've been working on this for hours." She glanced at her phone, seeing it was past six pm. "We've been in this room all day," she told Nate.

"Yeah, I think I need to go on a run or something now, stretch my legs" Nate said with a laugh. He was such a health and fitness nut, the only time he ever allowed himself to sit still for that long was when he was working on music, his first passion.

"We could all go swimming," Mitchie offered. "Get outside, get some sun before it sets."

Alex internally screamed. She had to think of something to stop this, and fast.

"Nate and Caitlyn don't have suits," she said quickly. Good one, Russo. That should get them out.

"Caitlyn fits mine, so I can loan her one," Mitchie said. "And I'm sure you can find some basketball shorts Nate could fit." She looked to the man. "Alex shops in the boy section for her shorts, so they might be tight, but it could work."

Nate shrugged. "I don't mind, if Alex doesn't."

Everyone looked to the former wizard expectantly. She did her best not to sigh, feeling cornered. Well shit. There went that plan.

"Sure," she said finally, hiding her disappointment with a fake smile.

They all went upstairs, where Mitchie handed Caitlyn a solid black bikini and took out a white and pink striped one for herself. Alex fished around in her drawer for an old pair of shorts. She found a faded navy pair that had an elastic waist band and handed them to Nate. He inspected them, nodding.

"These look like they'll work," he told her. "I'll go change in Sam's room."

He left, and Caitlyn excused herself to the bathroom to change as well. As soon as the door closed Mitchie turned to Alex.

"Why do I get the feeling you don't want them around?" Mitchie asked in a low voice, so Caitlyn couldn't hear from the bathroom.

Alex sighed as she pulled her own bright blue bikini from another drawer. "I just want to be alone with you, while we still can." She went over to the bedroom door and closed it before removing her shirt. "Is that so wrong?"

"No," Mitchie said, sighing as well. "But we hardly ever see Nate anymore, and it's nice to be with other adults for a change." She removed her own shirt, placing it neatly on the bed. She noticed Alex's on the floor, now accompanied by her jeans. "We've had plenty of alone time these past few days."

"I know, I just—" Alex shook her head as she unhooked her bra and let it drop into her growing pile. "Once this baby comes there's going to be no time for us. Remember how it was after Sam was born? Every spare moment we had we were sleeping because it was so exhausting. And then we had to watch him every moment as he started getting older because he got into everything. Things were just starting to get easier now that he can do a lot for himself, like bathe and dress himself." She placed her bikini top on and fasted it. "I just want to enjoy it while we can before it's too late."

Mitchie bit her lip, watching Alex as she climbed out of her underwear and into her bikini bottoms. The singer went over and took her wife's face in her hands.

"Hey, I get it," Mitchie said softly. "Believe me, I do." She kissed Alex chastely on the forehead before locking onto her gaze. "But we have more resources now than we did before. We have friends we trust, who have, will, and can babysit for us. Also, we have so much money we can totally turn into those rich Hollywood people who hire nannies."

"I don't want to be those people," Alex said quickly.

"Neither do I, but the option is there." Mitchie brushed her thumbs over Alex's cheeks. "It's going to be different this time, I promise. It'll be much easier. Last time we had no clue. We're pros now. We've got this, baby."

Alex stared at her for a moment. "Okay," she said gently.

"And tonight," Mitchie began, removing her hands from Alex's face and winding her arms around her neck, "I will make sure we make most of our last night alone."

"Oh really?" Alex asked with a grin. She wound her arms around Mitchie's torso, pulling her lover into her body. "How?"

Mitchie leaned forward and whispered in Alex's ear, "I'm going to fuck you until you see stars."

* * *

After everyone had finished changing Mitchie grabbed four towels from the linen closet and distributed them. Nate held his in front of him to hide the fact that the shorts from Alex were a little snug, particularly in the crotch area. Mitchie and Alex didn't seem to notice, but Caitlyn had, looking away and blushing when Nate caught her glancing.

The water was the perfect temperature, and Mitchie found herself readily jumping into the deep end this time with Alex, their hands joined. Caitlyn and Nate dove in after, splashing the girls on the way.

After swimming around and chatting for a bit Alex retrieved the football from the shed and brought it to the pool. They tossed it around a bit before Nate and Caitlyn challenged Mitchie and Alex to a game.

The two pairs squared off, but it wasn't a fair match. Nate had bulked up over the years, gaining abs and tons of muscles. He easily over took the girls, and it took both Mitchie and Alex to tackle him. When the score got too out of hand Alex and Mitchie reluctantly waved an imaginary white flag in surrender.

"Good job, teammate," Nate said, holding up his hand for a high five.

"Back at ya," Caitlyn said, slapping his hand.

"Cheaters," Alex said and rolled her eyes.

"This isn't cheating," Caitlyn said, gesturing to Nate. "I have a jacked partner. Don't hate."

"Jeez, Nate, what do you eat?" Mitchie said, still trying to catch her breath.

"Lots of protein and veggies," he said with a laugh. "Speaking of… I'm starving. Should probably head out and get some food."

"We can cook," Mitchie said quickly. "We can grill some steaks." She pointed to the grill on the deck.

"Sounds good to me," Caitlyn agreed, looking to Alex. "What about you? Sick of us yet?" She smirked knowingly at Alex, making it clear she'd picked up on Alex's aversion to the swimming plan earlier.

"Nah, not yet," Alex said, splashing her friend lightly. And it was true. After all, once Mitchie promised to rock her world later she'd gotten over her agitation and started enjoying Nate and Caitlyn's company. "We can do steak."

"Do you need any help with that?" Nate asked.

Alex shot him a glare. "No, Nate, I don't need a _man's_ help. I know how to grill."

"That's not what I meant," he said quickly, his cheeks turning red. "I was just trying to be courteous."

"Oh," Alex responded, feeling bad. She was so used to toxic masculinity from just about every straight man she'd ever encountered she didn't know what it was like to have one offer her help out of generosity and not because they were being condescending. "Sorry…But no, no thank you. You guys keep swimming. Mitchie and I've got dinner covered."

She offered a soft smile before swimming over to the side and hoisting herself out of the pool. Mitchie followed her, and together they walked across the yard and to the house.

As Mitchie and Alex worked on dinner Nate and Caitlyn swam around, chatting and catching up. They hadn't seen each other much since Camp Rock, only a few times here and there, but had never really been close. Nate could be hard to talk to, never quite knowing how to open up to anyone. Not even the people he dated. And it's not like they ever spent time alone, just the two of them.

Caitlyn found herself enjoying his company, learning things about Nate she had never known before. He was raised Catholic, but had a lot of problems with the church itself, so chose to practice his faith in private. He was an only child, and his parents had divorced when he was nine. He didn't have very close relationships with either of his parents, and Caitlyn had a feeling that's why he only gave her surface level details, not delving into anything other than the basic facts of his life.

Caitlyn told him about her parents' divorce, and her father's Aspergers. She'd grown to understand the syndrome over the years, educating herself about it. But it was still really tough sometimes.

"You know, the only time we've ever had a real conversation is when we drink together," Caitlyn said, eyes misty.

"Sometimes it helps lower inhibitions," Nate said. "I know I'm a lot more talkative when I drink."

"So you're saying I have to get you drunk to find out your deepest, darkest secrets?" Caitlyn asked him, quirking an eyebrow.

Nate laughed and lowered his gaze. "Maybe."

Caitlyn looked at him, watched as beads of water rolled down his skin, down to his abs. Jesus, when had Nate gotten so fit? He sure as hell didn't look like this the last time she saw him. Then again, he'd also been fully clothed then.

She tore her eyes from the man and grabbed the football that was bobbing just a few inches away.

"How about this," she said, causing him to look at her again. "If I can make it past you, you have to tell me one of your secrets." She held out the ball to him and smirked.

He took it hesitantly. "Caitlyn, it took both Mitchie and Alex to take me down. You really think you stand a chance?" He rolled the ball back and forth in his hands, gazing at her intently.

"I'm tougher than I look," she said. "Besides, that should be good for you. Less chance of me winning and finding out what makes you tick." She poked him in the chest. "What do you say?"

He smiled a little and nodded. "Okay."

Caitlyn backed up and held her hands out for a pass. Nate shook his head and threw it, then readied himself as she caught it. She began moving towards him as fast as she could in the water. He pushed off the bottom and advanced on her. She swerved to the left, almost getting by, but he caught her by the waist at the last second. Nate picked her up and dragged her under the water. Caitlyn let go of the ball and surfaced, spitting out a mouthful of water. Moments later Nate's head popped up, inches from her face. They stared at each other, both out of breath. Nate's cheeks flushed as his eyes flicked to her full lips, then back to intense, nearly golden eyes.

"Guys, dinner!" Mitchie called out from the deck, where Alex was removing the last steak from the grill and putting it on a plate.

"Guess we should go," Caitlyn said, and she swam over to the side of the pool, hoisting herself out. She glanced back to see Nate hadn't moved. "Coming?"

His face turned so red it reached all the way to his ears. "Give me a minute."

"Oh," was all Caitlyn could say in surprise. She tried to hide her smile of amusement as she turned and started walking towards the deck.

Nate let out a large sigh and hung his head, burying his face in his hands.

"Where's Nate?" Alex asked when Caitlyn approached, wrapping her towel around her waist.

"He'll be here in a sex—I mean, a sec." Caitlyn bumbled, cursing her stupid mouth.

"What the actual fuck, Caitlyn?" Alex asked, putting her hands on her hips. "Were you having sex in our pool?"

"With _Nate_?" Mitchie added, her eyes wide.

" _No_ ," Caitlyn hissed, glancing over her shoulder. "Keep your voices down, he could hear you." She sighed and sat in one of the chairs at the picnic table. "Okay, I know you're both gay, but have either of you noticed how hot he's gotten?"

"No," Alex said, sitting in the chair opposite Caitlyn. Mitchie sat next to her.

"I can see it," she said. "He's really built, and he has kind eyes."

"Kind eyes," Caitlyn said with a snort. "Mitchie, have you seen his abs? And the V thing he has going on? Dear lord, I can see why he dates supermodels."

"Not recently, he's been single for a few months," Mitchie said. An idea dawned on her. "Hey, you should—"

"No," Caitlyn said quickly, shaking her head. "Don't go there."

"Why not?" Mitchie asked, picking up her knife and fork to begin cutting into her steak. "He's a great guy, you think he's hot, you're already friends."

"Which is why it would be weird." Caitlyn picked up her own knife and fork. "Seriously, drop it Mitchie."

"When I told you about my feelings for Alex you told me to go for it," Mitchie reminded her. "You told me it was worth the risk. You told me, and I quote, 'Smart listens to the head. Stupid listens to the heart. Sometimes you have to be stupid.'" Mitchie shrugged. "So be stupid, Cait."

Caitlyn rolled her eyes. It figured Mitchie would remember something she said nearly a decade ago. But she had a point. She was the one who pushed her to be with Alex.

"If I recall that was the night you kissed me," Caitlyn said with a smirk, knowing that would gain Alex's attention and divert the conversation away from her love life.

"You guys kissed?!" Alex rounded on Mitchie, jaw hanging open.

Mitchie glared at Caitlyn briefly before turning her attention to her wife.

"You remember the day I overheard you and Harper talking about how you were falling for me?" Mitchie asked, taking Alex's hand.

"Yes…"

"Well, naturally I called Caitlyn to talk about that," Mitchie explained. "It was a confusing time, I was still accepting my feelings for you, and I just wanted to know what it would be like to kiss a girl, so we kissed."

Alex swallowed, glancing back and forth between her wife and Caitlyn, who was casually eating her steak like she didn't just semi blow up Alex's world.

"And?" Alex asked Mitchie.

"And it felt wrong," Mitchie said. "Not because she was a girl, but because it was Caitlyn. Who is like my sister. It felt wrong because it wasn't you."

"She even said that after," Caitlyn said, swallowing her mouthful. "And lucky for you because if I were gay, or even bi, she and I would be married by now."

"I think part of me has always known that," Alex said softly. It was why she got so worked up over what turned out to be an innocent kiss.

"I thought you would have known about this," Caitlyn stated.

"Why didn't I?" Alex asked, staring at Mitchie, who shrugged.

"It didn't seem important," she answered. "It didn't mean anything, and honestly I kind of forgot it happened." She gave her wife a gentle smile. "I'll never forget our first kiss, though."

"At the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade," Alex said with a nod and a grin.

Mitchie brought their intertwined hands to her mouth and kissed Alex's fingers sweetly. At that moment Nate walked up, seeming to have gotten his "problem" under control.

"What'd I miss?" he asked, taking a seat next to Caitlyn.

* * *

After dinner was finished Caitlyn and Nate helped clean up before saying their goodbyes. They walked to their cars in silence, Nate pausing as he put his guitar in the backseat of his Mustang to watched Caitlyn as she bent over to put her laptop in the trunk. She closed it and turned to find him watching her. He broke eye contact, staring at his shoes and clearing his throat.

"Thanks for not saying anything earlier," he said sheepishly, eyes still locked on his Adidas. "To Mitchie and Alex… about the thing…"

Caitlyn smirked, enjoying how shy Nate got when talking about a normal bodily function.

"Don't mention it," she said, walking over and leaning against the side of his car. "By the way, how'd you get rid of it?"

Nate's cheeks flushed. "I uh," he paused, chuckling, "I think about the fact that Donald Trump is the president, actually."

Caitlyn threw her head back and laughed loudly, causing Nate to laugh as well. He was still incredibly embarrassed, but at least Caitlyn was being so cool about it.

"Really?" she asked, gasping.

"Yeah," he said with a nod. "Just keep telling myself that over and over, and I just go limp."

Caitlyn laughed again, completely tickled by the fact that the deranged Cheeto that spewed hatred and called himself a leader could kill the sex drive of the average red-blooded American male.

"Well I guess now I know one of your deep dark secrets after all," she commented.

He nodded again. "Guess so."

They stared at each other for a moment before Nate broke eye contact, looking at his shoes once more and kicking at the pavement.

"Sorry, about that by the way," he said, referring to his predicament. "It's got a mind of its own, I swear… I didn't mean to offend you, if I did…"

Caitlyn was taken aback. Was he seriously apologizing for that? No guy had ever apologized to her for getting a boner in her presence. Most had asked her to "do something about it" but never seemed to regret it like Nate did. That was… different.

"I'm not offended," she said softly. "In fact, I'm kind of flattered."

"Flattered?" He looked at her quizzically. That was not the reaction he'd been expecting.

"Yeah, I mean, you date some of the most gorgeous women in the world," Caitlyn said, pulling at her fingers. "The fact that _I_ could get that reaction out of _you_ , is kind of mind-blowing to me."

Nate shook his head. "Caitlyn, what are you talking about?" He stared at her.

"Nate, you date _models_." She let out a sigh. "And I'm just—me. I'm not a model, that's for sure."

Nate watched as her features fell, brown ringlets framing her face. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Did Caitlyn seriously not know how beautiful she was?

He wanted to tell her that, but he couldn't. The words were on his tongue, but never passed his lips. It wasn't in his nature to say things like that.

"I'm sure lots of guys like you," he said instead, wanting to kick himself when he saw her wince. "What about Gabe?" he asked quickly.

"He cheated on me," Caitlyn said darkly. "With a perky, blonde girl who probably weighed ninety pounds soaking wet." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Guess he liked her better."

Nate felt horrible. He'd meant to compliment Caitlyn, but it seemed all he did was make things worse. Why couldn't he ever say the right thing?

"I'm sorry," he said, reaching out and putting a hand on her shoulder. "He's an idiot. Fuck that guy."

Caitlyn smiled a little and looked up at him tenderly. "Thanks."

Nate nodded and brought his hand back, placing it awkwardly at his side. That seemed right that time. At least he recovered.

"Anyway, it's getting late," Caitlyn said, pushing off his car finally. "I should get going."

"Yeah, me too," he said, watching her walk away. "See ya, Caitlyn.

She paushed when she reached her car, looking at the man over her shoulder. "Bye, Nate," she said, before hopping into the convertible.

* * *

Mitchie and Alex watched from the living room window, holding their breaths when Nate reached out and touched Caitlyn's shoulder. They let it out in agitated sighs when he pulled away. Next they both got in their cars and drove off.

"Ugh, they're so annoying," Mitchie said with a huff.

"Mitchie, maybe there's nothing going on there," Alex said, going over to the couch and sitting.

"No, I know there is," Mitchie said, and she began pacing. "We totally interrupted something in the pool. That's why Nate didn't come to eat right away." She snapped. "He couldn't because he had a—"

"Mitchie, please stop," Alex interrupted with a whine. "This whole conversation is way too straight for me."

Mitchie sighed and went to sit beside Alex on the couch. "I just want my friends to be happy," she said with a pout. "I would rather my friends date each other because then at least I know they're both dating decent people."

"But you can't force them together," Alex told her, placing a hand on her back and rubbing gently.

"You're right," Mitchie agreed, looking to her wife. "But you know I like to meddle."

"It's one of the things I love about you," Alex said with a smile.

Mitchie chuckled and shook her head. She wanted to push it further, but Alex spoke the truth. Caitlyn was headstrong and would make her own decisions. Pushing from Mitchie would not help. In the end all Mitchie could focus on was her wife, her relationship.

"Well, we're alone now," Mitchie said with a smirk. "And I believe I was supposed to show you the stars."

Alex smiled widely. "Lucky for me we're already half naked."

Mitchie's eyes roamed to Alex's bikini-clad body. Her fingers itched to remove it.

"Yeah, this is suddenly bothering me," Mitchie said, hooking her finger in the front of the top. "Take it off."

* * *

 **Sorry this chapter was so so heavily Caitlyn/Nate-centric. It's called world building. Hope you enjoyed anyway.**

 **Review, please, my loves.**

 **Until next time.**

 **-DF**


	7. Bad Habits

**Hello again. I know I'm killing you with updates. I just can't stop writing recently. So please enjoy.**

* * *

Sunday evening Mitchie and Alex finally got their boy back. They enveloped him in a hug immediately, and he whined in protest that he was being smushed. T-Rex ran around them happily, waiting to be greeted by Sam, who scooped him up and carried him up the stairs to put his bags in his room.

"So, how'd it go?" Mitchie asked Shane, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Uh, it was interesting," Shane said honestly. "Uneventful for the most part."

"For the most part?" Alex asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Care to clarify?"

Shane glanced up the stairs, making sure Sam was still in his room. Finding the boy hadn't reappeared he gestured into the living room.

"You better sit down for this," he said and lead the curious women to the seating area. He took the armchair while Alex and Mitchie sat side-by-side on the couch, staring at him intently. "I saw Tess," he said, wanting to get right to the point.

"Tyler?" Mitchie asked, blinking at him in astonishment.

"Is there any other Tess?" Alex asked with an eye roll. "Where?"

"The park Saturday morning."

"This happened _yesterday,_ and you're just now telling us?" Mitchie glared at him. "Shane, this isn't something you keep to yourself."

"I didn't think it was something you said over the phone, either," he defended, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Besides, it's not like anything happened."

"Oh," Alex said, letting out a relieved sigh. "So you didn't talk to her, then?"

"No, I did," Shane said, to which both women replied by letting out groans.

"Why?" Alex asked him crossly.

"I didn't know it was her at first," he told them. "It's been, like, seven years. And she was wearing a big hat and sunglasses."

Mitchie shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. This was always something she knew could happen, but never thought it would. Most days she liked to push Tess from her memory altogether, but every now and then she found herself thinking of their second summer at Camp Rock. What they did to Tess made her sick. She'd never truly been able to find peace with it, especially not after she spilled her own secret to the world. After that it felt like it had been for nothing. She could still clearly remember the pained look on Tess's face that day in Brown's office.

"What'd you talk about?" Mitchie asked, finding her voice a tad strained. She cleared her throat and tried to swallow, noticing her mouth was suddenly extremely dry.

"Not much," Shane said with a shrug. "I tried to apologize for the video. She didn't exactly accept it."

"Do you blame her?" Alex glared at him. She wasn't fond of the way Shane had gotten things done, either. After all, they'd told him to avoid her until they figured out what to do, but of course he'd done the exact opposite of avoid her. By the time they found out it was too late to stop him, and they honestly didn't have a better plan in place, so they just went with his. "It wasn't exactly your finest moment."

"I'm aware," he said, sighing. "But I wasn't aware it would fuck her up so badly she'd land in therapy over it."

"Therapy?" Mitchie raised her eyebrows. "She said she's in therapy because of you?"

Shane nodded. "Apparently I pretty much ruined her life."

"That seems to be a trend for you," Alex muttered, looking to Mitchie.

"I just didn't think it would affect her this badly," Shane said, hanging his head. "I mean, I thought she was heartless."

"She's never been heartless," Mitchie said softly. "I saw a few tender moments. She'd turned herself around by the end of my first summer at Camp Rock."

"But she was completely evil again when I was there," Alex countered.

Mitchie shook her head lightly. "I don't think she is, though." She shrugged. "From what I saw her relationship with her mother is horrible. She was starved for TJ's attention. She never felt like she was good enough for her. That kind of neglect can have serious psychological damage on a child." Mitchie looked to Shane. "Which is why I think that while you may be _part_ of the reason she's in therapy, I don't think it's the whole reason."

"But you still definitely contributed," Alex added. She didn't want Shane to think he was completely off the hook.

"Well, that helps," Shane said with a heavy sigh. "But I still feel like shit."

"You should," Alex told him. Mitchie reached out and patted her on the knee, giving her a pointed look that meant to be a little nicer.

At that moment Sam appeared in the doorway with T-Rex following behind him. He went over to the couch and sat opposite Alex. Completely unaware of the tension in the room and the serious conversation his parents had been having previously, he grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. Mitchie took it from him and turned it back off. He turned to protest but stopped when she raised her eyebrows at him and gave him "the look." It was her special mom face, full of seriousness. Sam knew that look. He shut his mouth.

"Bud, Mama and I need to finish talking to your dad about something real quick," she said, smoothing out his hair and looking at him a little softer. "Can you give us a second?"

He looked between the adults, who all held somber expressions. Shane wouldn't look at him, his eyes on his expensive Italian shoes. He knew something was up, but he had no idea what it was.

"Am I in trouble?" he asked in a small voice.

"No, baby," Mitchie said, shaking her head.

"This is just adult stuff." Alex rested a hand on his shoulder. "It's really boring, I promise."

"Okay," Sam said slowly, standing. He walked out of the living room, casting glances over his shoulder as he went, the dog following as always.

Alex, Mitchie, and Shane stayed silent until the sound of T-Rex's nails clacking on the tile floor stopped and they heard a door shut. Shane let out a large breath and leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees.

"So, what are you gonna do about this?" Alex asked, breaking the silence finally.

"I don't know," Shane said and frowned. "What can I do?"

"Well, you can start by getting rid of the video," Mitchie said.

"I did that already," Shane said. "Not long after we told the world about Sam. Figured there was no point to keep it anymore."

"Well…" Mitchie thought about it for a moment, chewing her lip. What else could be done? She didn't have a clue. It wasn't like she'd ever done something like this to anyone. She didn't have it in her. "I really don't know what to tell you, Shane. It's not like you can force her to accept your apology or go back and change what's happened. You just have to find a way to live with yourself."

"That's not helpful," Shane grumbled.

Alex fumed. "Well maybe you should have thought of this when you made the stupid video!" She glared at him. "We can't keep cleaning up your messes, you know. We told you not to go near her, and you went _inside_ her. We didn't do this. You did."

He stared at her for a moment, wanting to argue, but realized it was no use. She was right. He'd fucked up again. Yet another one of his past mistakes was coming back to bite him in the ass.

"You're right, Alex," he said and sighed.

"I know," she said quickly.

Mitchie shook her head at the woman, but Shane nodded and stood. He pulled his keys from his pocket.

"Shane, you don't have to go—" Mitchie began.

"No, I do," he said. "I just—gotta go. Tell Sam I said bye."

Before either woman could say anything else he crossed the living room and was out the front door. Mitchie stared after him, insides churning. Nothing about any of this could be good.

"Maybe he should consider therapy," Alex muttered, standing.

"Maybe," Mitchie said softly, standing as well. She let out a sigh and looked to her wife. "I've got a bad feeling about all of this."

Alex placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Try not to worry about it. After all, you said it yourself. There's nothing to be done." She shrugged. "Besides, it's Shane's problem. Remember?"

Mitchie nodded, knowing what Alex said was true. The only involvement they had was being there when Shane showed Tess the video. It wasn't like she'd had sex with Tess. And she sure as hell didn't video her sexual encounters. No, that part was all Shane. So why did she still feel like she was about to hurl?

Alex could tell Mitchie wasn't reassured. But she also knew there was nothing she could do to change that. Mitchie was a worrier; it was who she was. And no amount of reassuring or talking from Alex would change that.

"Let's go see what Sam's gotten up to," Alex said, hoping to pull Mitchie from the depths of her mind. She knew nothing good could come of Mitchie dwelling on this too much.

Mitchie nodded again and allowed Alex to take her hand and lead her through the house. They found him in the music room practicing scales on one of Mitchie's electric guitars. It wasn't plugged in, so it didn't make much noise, but Sam liked the electric ones better than the acoustics. The strings were easier to press so they didn't hurt his fingers as much. When Mitchie began teaching him to play she told him the pain would stop once his fingers built calluses, but he still insisted on playing the electric. He, like Alex, had very little patience and a low tolerance for discomfort.

When he saw his mothers in the doorway he stopped strumming and frowned. "Where's Dad?" he asked, noticing Shane was absent.

"He had to leave," Alex told him, stepping into the room and crossing her arms over her chest.

Sam looked like he had been kicked in the gut. "He didn't say goodbye."

Mitchie immediately went over and sat beside him on the couch, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "He wanted to," she told him comfortingly. "He just had to go. He told us to tell you he said goodbye, though."

Sam looked at her, biting his lip, not convinced. He thought back to how odd Shane had been for the rest of their visit, not saying much and seeming very distracted. After they got back from the park Sam insisted they play more PlayStation together, and Shane didn't argue. Normally Shane clobbered Sam in whatever game they played, but his mind was obviously elsewhere, so Sam won nearly every round of the fighting game they had chosen.

"Is Dad mad at me?" he asked Mitchie, looking to her with a sad expression.

"Of course not," Mitchie said quickly and squeezed his shoulder.

"What makes you think that?" Alex went over and sat on the other side of him. She took the guitar from his hands and rested it near the couch.

"He's been weird every since yesterday morning," Sam explained.

"When you went to the park?" Mitchie tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. It was getting too long again. They would have to bring him to get it cut soon.

Sam nodded, and Alex let out a sigh, looking to Mitchie, then back to Sam.

"That has nothing to do with you," Alex said. She hooked her finger under his chin and made him look at her. "You know that, right? Shane just has some stuff going on right now."

"And none of it is your fault," Mitchie added. "Okay?"

Sam nodded gently, still trying to believe them. But that wasn't the only thing. Something else was nagging at him.

"Am I still going to be able to go to his house more?" he asked.

Mitchie and Alex shared a glance, silently communicating. They'd gotten good at that over the years. After all, most of the time they knew each other better than they knew themselves. They didn't need Alex's mind melding spell to be able to read each other's thoughts anymore. They could do it all with a single look.

"We think so," Mitchie said.

"We'll play it by ear," Alex added.

Sam frowned. That wasn't the answer he was hoping for. It did nothing to soothe his anxieties. But he supposed it was better than a flat-out no. He still felt like something was wrong. It was something he couldn't shake and couldn't help feeling like it was something he'd done. Maybe Shane didn't like spending as much time with him as he did. Maybe because Sam had given him a hard time about dinner and tested him with the soda Shane was having second thoughts about taking him more. Maybe his moms just didn't want to tell him that because they didn't want to hurt his feelings.

Then he just had to change Shane's mind. He silently vowed that next time he was with Shane he would be extra good. He'd come to dinner when called, drink water, clean up all his toys, and do his homework and go to bed without complaint. That had to make Shane feel better.

* * *

That night Shane sat on his couch, staring at the TV. He'd tried everything to get his mind clear: running, playing guitar, even cleaning the house. But he still couldn't shake the cloud in his brain. Eventually he'd put on some garbage show on Netflix, hoping it would occupy his mind. But he couldn't pay attention to it. His thoughts still roamed to Tess and how upset she'd been. Her words rang loudly in his ears, and he turned up the volume, trying to drown them out to no avail. So, he went over to his liquor cabinet and grabbed a bottle of whiskey. He poured himself a large serving, nearly spilling the caramel-colored liquid over the rim.

He quickly took a sip, enjoying the burn it left in the back of his throat. He felt it slide down, warming his chest as it went. He brought the bottle over and set it on the coffee table before sitting on the couch again. He propped up his feet and nursed his drink. As the contents of the cup emptied Shane started to feel better. He poured himself another, and once that was half-gone the whisper of Tess's voice had quieted. He found himself able to finally relax. With each sip of his whiskey his nerves eased, and soon he was on the third. The show he was watching suddenly caught his interest, and he actually laughed at a few of the jokes.

Six episodes and three drinks later he was finally stumbling to bed, not even bothering to undress. He buried his face in the pillow and closed his eyes to make the world stop spinning. His thoughts returned to Tess, and he felt his chest tighten, anxiety returning. He tried to think of something else, anything else. Eventually he was able to quiet his troublesome brain, and he fell into an uneasy slumber.

* * *

Mitchie and Alex got the call Monday morning that all the bloodwork had come back with positive results. That meant they were ready to begin their invitro injections. After dropping Sam off at school they swung by the doctor's and picked up the prescriptions. After a brief tutorial from their doctor they were on the road again, hitting the studio. They began working on "Catch Me," which their entire band loved. Caitlyn even got to work with Jack on the track.

While she was happy with her position as Mitchie's keyboardist, her first passion was still producing, and it was something she wished to pursue later in life. She was thankful Jack allowed her to give input and actually listened to what she had to say. He'd seemed to have taken her under his wing, becoming somewhat of a mentor.

Mitchie and Alex were so busy with their new song that it was still all they were thinking about it when they finally left the studio to pick up Sam from school. Alex found herself drumming the tune on the table with pencils as she watched Sam color in a map for his social studies homework. Mitchie sang along softly under her breath as she cooked dinner.

It wasn't until the alarm Mitchie had set went off on her phone that she even thought about the medicine again. They had to take them every night at the same time, and tonight was the first night. She retrieved the medication from her purse and ushered Alex upstairs. They peeked in on Sam quickly, sighing in relief when they saw he was sound asleep, T-Rex curled up at his feet. That was good. The last thing they needed was for him to unexpectedly burst in the room while they were administering the doses. That wasn't something he needed to see or something they wanted to explain just yet. They still weren't sure when they were going to tell him about the baby, but that wasn't the way they wanted him to find out.

They locked themselves in their room and took the medicine from its packaging. Mitchie's knees went weak when she saw how big the needles were. She knew there would be shots involved, but she was hoping for a small needle.

"Jesus Christ," Alex said, taking the cap off the syringe. "That's gotta be painful." She frowned and looked to Mitchie, who wore a frown of her own.

"It's for a good cause," Mitchie said. She took the needle from Alex. "Let's just get this over with. Pull your pants down."

Alex hesitated, staring at the object in Mitchie's hand. Normally those words out of Mitchie's mouth would be met with arousal, not anxiety. But this wasn't for a fun romp between the sheets. This would not result in incomparable pleasure. This was gonna fucking hurt.

"Why do I have to go first?" she asked with a whine.

"Because I said so," Mitchie answered. "Pants. Now."

Alex rolled her eyes and groaned, but unfasted the button of her skinny jeans and pulled down the zipper. Mitchie twirled her finger, signaling for Alex to turn around. She did and leaned over the bed. She pushed down her jeans, exposing just enough to administer the shot. Mitchie went over to the nightstand and used the rubbing alcohol they'd set out to wet a cotton ball. She returned to Alex and swiped it against her skin, sanitizing the injection sight just like their doctor told them to. Alex held her breath, bracing herself.

"Here we go," Mitchie said as she hovered the needle right above where she needed to place it.

Alex felt a slight prick and then a deep burning sensation as the shot went into her body. She bit her lip and winced as the needle pressed into her thigh. This was worse than a flu shot, and she always hated those.

Finally, the burning sensation stopped when Mitchie pulled the needle away, and a stinging took its place.

"You're bleeding," Mitchie said. "I'll get a band aid. Stay there."

Alex remained where she was, closing her eyes and gritting her teeth. This was only the first shot, and it was agony. She could only imagine how much it would hurt tomorrow, when the muscle was sore from the previous night's injection. How long did they have to do this?

Mitchie returned from the bathroom with two bandages. She unwrapped one and pressed it over the dot of blood on Alex's thigh. She placed a gentle kiss over the bandage, like she did with Sam's scrapes and cuts. Alex pulled up her pants and turned to Mitchie, who gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

"You did well," Mitchie told her. "I know it sucks, but this will all be over before we know it."

"I hope you're right," Alex muttered. She felt uneasy; pain was not something she enjoyed, not in the slightest. It was one of the reasons she didn't work out. Mitchie had tried to get her to go running once, and after only three blocks her lungs were on fire and her calves felt like lava. She knew exercise was good for her and would keep her in shape, but God, at what cost? Plus, if she couldn't handle the little bit of pain that came from the shot how was she going to make it through birth?

"My turn," Mitchie said with a look of distaste. She picked up the other needle and handed it to Alex.

* * *

 **That's it for now. May have another chapter up quickly. Who knows? Time will tell.**

 **Until Next Time,**

 **DF**


	8. Heroes

**I think I spend 80% of the time I'm awake writing. Can you feel the love?**

 **I do not own _Spy Kids_ or _Smallville._**

* * *

Shane called Mitchie Wednesday night to make sure it was still okay for him to take Sam on Thursday through Sunday like the previous week. Mitchie was surprised to hear from him, to be honest. He hadn't been responsive to texts she'd sent him in the days following the evening he told them about his encounter with Tess. On the phone he sounded tired and stressed, but still insisted he wanted to take Sam again, so she agreed after running it by Alex.

He looked horrible when he'd come to pick up Sam Thursday morning. He had bags under his eyes and looked paler. They asked him if he was okay, but he simply nodded and muttered that he was fine before Sam came downstairs. Mitchie and Alex decided it was best not to push the matter and worry him. So, they sent them on their way, Mitchie making Shane promise to call her that night.

Both women anxiously watched through the window as they drove away. Alex reasoned that maybe he was just sick, but Mitchie had a feeling that wasn't it. While her wife seemed calmed about her assumption for Shane's odd behavior, Mitchie remained apprehensive.

Later that day Caitlyn came over for lunch before they all headed out to the studio. They sat on the patio drinking coffee after eating, and Mitchie couldn't hold it in any longer.

"I'm worried about Shane," she said, resting her mug on the picnic table and frowning. "He hasn't been the same since the Tess thing."

"I told you, Mitchie, he's probably just sick or something," Alex told her with a dismissive wave of the hand.

"If he's sick he shouldn't have Sam right now," Caitlyn said in a worried voice. "He could get Sam sick."

"I don't think he's sick," Mitchie said, shaking her head. "I think seeing Tess affected him more than we realized."

"He did rush out of here pretty quickly the other day," Alex commented. She hadn't given the whole ordeal much thought. After all, it didn't affect her life. Or so she thought. She sometimes forgot that what went on with Shane also affected Sam. And if something affected Sam it affected her.

"You said he barely talked to her, right?" Caitlyn asked and sipped her coffee. Mitchie and Alex had filled her in on the few details they knew about what had gone down at the park. She hadn't been in Brown's cabin when the actual blackmailing went down, but she knew of the situation. She'd always kind of felt Tess got what she deserved after the shit she pulled, but once she found out Tess had been in therapy she started finding empathy for the blonde.

"That's what he said, but who knows?" Mitchie rubbed her temples, feeling a headache forming. "He hardly gave us any concrete details except that she didn't accept his apology and that she was seeing a therapist."

"I can't believe she didn't hit him," Caitlyn commented and polished off the rest of her caffeinated drink.

"Mitchie did once," Alex said with a grin, the memory of it flashing through her mind. She'd been ready to do it herself when Mitchie stopped her, claiming it was her fight. And it was. The sight of Mitchie's fist connecting with Shane's jaw was something she never forgot, and she still thought it was one of the hottest things Mitchie had ever done.

"That felt so fucking good," Mitchie admitted. She tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear and let out a sigh. "But this, right now," she said, placing a hand on her chest, "this awful feeling I have in my chest… That doesn't feel good."

Alex frowned and reached out, taking Mitchie's hand from her chest. She gave her wife's fingers a slight squeeze.

"We'll talk to Shane tonight, check in on Sam," she told her. "If something seems off we can go get him first thing in the morning."

Mitchie felt a little better at the idea, and she hoped for Sam's sake everything was fine when they checked in later. She would hate to make him leave early and risk him being upset that his time with his dad was cut short. She didn't want him to resent her for it. But his safety and well-being were what were most important to her. And if that meant picking him up early and risking him resenting her, that may have been a price she had to pay to ensure he was taken care of.

"So, have you talked to Nate recently?" Alex asked, raising her eyebrows and turning her attention to Caitlyn. She knew that was a topic that was surely get Mitchie's mind off the annoying man Alex only tolerated for the sake of their son.

"Yeah, have you?" Mitchie's eyes lit up, taking Alex's bait as her attention shifted to her best friend's love life.

"Ugh, would you stop?" Caitlyn said, standing from the table to bring her empty mug inside and run away from the new conversation being thrown at her. "I can't fucking stand you two."

"Then why the fuck are you always over here?" Alex countered.

Caitlyn stuck out her middle finger before ducking inside the house. She shook her head and muttered under her breath but found herself smiling soon after as she put the cup in the sink. Nate had texted her a couple of times since that day in the pool, but it was nothing serious. Just a link to a song by a band they had talked about, and a brief conversation afterwards. It was nothing, just friendly stuff. Nothing even worth mentioning to her nosy friends.

So if it was nothing, like she told herself, why couldn't she stop smiling or checking her phone every five minutes to see if she had notifications? Why couldn't she stop thinking about the way the beads of water rolled down his rock-hard abs or the way his jaw moved when he spoke? Why was she so scared that Mitchie and Alex might be right?

* * *

"I think I just need to get laid," Caitlyn announced from the backseat of Mitchie's Mercedes on the way to the studio later.

Mitchie was so caught off-guard that she nearly swerved into the next lane. She corrected and glanced at Caitlyn in the rearview, surprised to see her friend staring out the window nonchalantly like she hadn't just said something out-of-character.

"So we're talking about your love life now?" Mitchie asked.

"No, we're talking about my sex life," Caitlyn corrected.

"Haven't those always gone hand-in-hand with you?" Mitchie questioned, wondering where this was coming from.

When Caitlyn had been with Gabe things had been hot and heavy, and Caitlyn was not shy when it came to talking about their relationship, both sexual and emotional. That all changed after they broke up, though. Caitlyn never wanted to say too much about the people she was dating, and she sure as hell wouldn't bring it up willingly. Half of the time when Caitlyn went on dates Mitchie had to drag the details out of her. It was as if it was the only topic Caitlyn now refused to talk about. So this coming from her now was surprising.

"Maybe that's my problem," Caitlyn said with a shrug. "I've been looking for Mr. Right instead of Mr. Right Now. Maybe I just need to meet someone, do it, and get it over with so my dry spell can be over."

"Or you can just buy a vibrator," Alex said from the passenger seat, rolling her eyes behind her sunglasses.

"Those don't really _work_ for me," Caitlyn said with a frown. "I think it's a mental thing."

"You could always get a removable shower head," Alex said, turning in her seat to look at Caitlyn over her shoulder as Mitchie pulled into the studio parking lot and parked the car. "One with a pulse setting. Trust me."

Mitchie turned to her wife slowly and narrowed her eyes. "Alex, we have a removable shower head with pulse settings."

"What, you've never tried it?" Alex asked with a smirk.

"Are you cheating on me with the shower head?" Mitchie asked in a joking manner, laughing slightly.

"Only when I'm on my period," Alex defended. "It helps with cramps."

"I literally could have gone my whole life without knowing any of that," Caitlyn said, unbuckling her seatbelt and quickly exiting the vehicle before she found out any more about Alex's masturbation habits.

"It does," Alex told Mitchie in a small voice. "There's, like, scientific research behind it."

"I believe you," Mitchie told her, patting her knee. "And you might be onto something, here. I might have to check it out next time I'm on my period." She wiggled her eyebrows at the Latina, whose eyes darkened in response.

"Can I be there when you do?" she asked.

"No," Mitchie said playfully before unbuckling her own seatbelt and hopping out of the car.

Alex watched her, jaw hanging open slightly. She stayed seated, staring after Mitchie in disbelief. Mitchie turned at the door to the studio and waved at Alex, signaling for her to get her ass out of the car so she could lock it. Alex narrowed her eyes at her wife, but she got out of the Mercedes and followed her into the studio.

* * *

That afternoon Shane sat with Sam at the table as they completed Sam's homework for the day. He was thankful that Sam seemed to be cooperating today. He didn't have to fight him to sit down and pull his books out, and so far they were flying through the worksheets. He was glad because he was not feeling up to fighting about it.

He felt as awful as he knew he looked. He hadn't been sleeping well since that day at the park, and he had drunk every night since he brought Sam back to Mitchie and Alex's. It was the only thing that gave him some peace, that dulled his senses and pushed the storm from his mind. But he knew he couldn't keep doing it. Eventually it would pass over the point of bad habit and turn into a real problem. He didn't want that to happen.

Plus, he wanted to keep his promise to Sam and be more present in his life. And he couldn't do that if he drank. That was a rule he knew better than to break. So there he sat, exhausted and with a splitting headache, but he was sober. And he intended to stay that way until Sam went back to his moms' house. But to say he wasn't craving a nice glass of whiskey would be a lie. But he had run out again, and he didn't trust himself to buy more. It would be too tempting to drink if it was in the house.

"Done!" Sam exclaimed, which caused Shane to wince at the loudness. Sam caught it and stiffened at the frown on his dad's face. He thought Shane would be happy he'd done all of his homework so quickly, and without complaining, not even once. But maybe he was wrong.

"Good job, bud," Shane said, the corners of his mouth twitching into a smile. His head seared. Even smiling hurt.

Sam eased a little at Shane's smile. That was reassuring. Maybe Shane didn't hate him after all.

"What do you want to do now?" Sam asked, looking to Shane expectantly.

"What do _you_ want to do?" Shane countered.

Sam thought about it for a moment. He knew Shane usually let him suggest an activity, but he was afraid Shane was getting tired of the things he chose to do. That's why he wanted Shane to pick what they did next. He wanted to try to be as easy-going as possible.

"I want to do whatever you want to do," Sam said earnestly.

Shane stared at him, wondering where this was coming from. Usually Sam readily had an idea for something they could do, and he always just ran with it. He'd never actually had to come up with anything, with the exception of deciding to go to the park that day. And look how well that had turned out.

"I'm kind of tired," Shane said honestly. "Mind if we just watch TV?"

Sam nodded enthusiastically. "Okay," he said quickly and immediately began packing his school things back into his bag.

Shane watched him, shocked. Sam had a bad habit of not cleaning up after himself. Usually the moment his homework was done he took off, leaving Shane to shove his notebooks and folders back into the knapsack. This was a nice change, though, and Shane decided not to question it.

When all of Sam's homework was packed away the two flopped down onto the couch, Shane immediately turning on the TV.

"What do you want to watch?" he asked the boy.

"Whatever you want to watch," Sam said.

Shane once again stared at the eight-year-old. Sam always had a preference of what to watch, and the fact that he didn't this time only added to the weirdness of the whole afternoon. Shane had kind of hoped Sam would pick something, just because he always did. Shane realized he didn't know of any shows he would normally watch on his own that were appropriate for Sam. So that proved to be a challenge.

He recalled that Sam liked superheroes, though, and an idea struck him. He pulled up Hulu and started searching, finding the show he'd recalled seeing when he was scrolling the other day.

"Let's try _Smallville_ ," Shane said as the episode started. "It's about Clark Kent as a teenager, before he was Superman. I used to love this show when I was young."

"I love Superman," Sam said, his eyes brightening with excitement. "He's my favorite superhero!"

Shane smiled at him, glad he'd found something they could share. "Mine, too, I think," he said. "Then you should love this, because it's all about him when he's a kid."

Sam smiled back at Shane, glad he'd gotten his father's approval. He turned his attention to the show, genuinely excited to see his favorite hero in action.

* * *

Later Mitchie and Alex called as planned. Shane paused the episode of _Smallville_ they were on and answered the phone, putting it on speaker.

"Hi, ladies," Shane said, holding the phone between him and Sam so that they could both speak into it.

"Hi, Moms," Sam greeted.

"Hi, baby," Mitchie said on the other end. "How's it going?"

"Good," Sam answered. "We got pizza, and we're watching _Smallville_."

"Isn't Allison Mack in that?" Alex voice asked, signaling she and Mitchie were on speaker on their end, too.

"Uh, doesn't she play Chloe?" Shane asked.

"Yeah, her!" Alex said. "She was just arrested for a human sex-trafficking cult-thing."

"What's sex trafficking?" Sam asked.

"And you say I'm the one who teaches him the words that he gets in trouble for saying at school," Shane said, rolling his eyes.

"I don't know if I want him watching something with someone who does that kind of stuff," Mitchie said, choosing not to answer her son's question.

"We're not watching it for her," Shane said. "There's a lot of other people in the show. It's not like she's the main character. It's about Clark Kent."

"You know, Superman, Mom?" Sam jumped in, knowing his mother knew how much he loved the man of steel. He didn't want Mitchie to make them stop watching for a reason he didn't understand. He'd really been enjoying the show.

"Still, I feel weird about it," Mitchie continued.

"Harvey Weinstein produced _Spy Kids_ ," Shane informed them. "Are you still gonna let him watch that?" He knew that would get them. He and Sam had watched the movie the previous weekend, Sam informing him that it was one of his and Alex's favorite movies. When that asshole's name came up in the credits Shane's lip curled in distaste. He was no saint, but he was nowhere near that monster.

"WHAT?!" Alex yelled from the other end.

The voices on the phone became muffled, and Shane faintly heard Mitchie trying to calm the other woman. After a few moments he heard Mitchie sigh heavily as she switched the phone off speaker and pressed it to her ear.

"Did you really have to ruin that for her?" Mitchie asked him.

"She didn't know?" Shane asked. "It's in the credits."

"She never watches those," Mitchie answered. "You know she doesn't _do_ reading."

"This is not my fault," Shane said laughing lightly. He didn't expect Alex to get so upset, but it amused him a little when she did.

"So, can we watch the show or not?" Sam asked.

Mitchie hesitated for a moment before answering. "Fine, go ahead," she said. "I suppose it's harmless."

"Thank you," Shane told her, glad their show hadn't been spoiled either. He was starting to get into it again, and maybe it could be something he and Sam could watch when they were together from now on. After all, there were ten seasons, so it would take them a while. It would be a nice change from the cartoons Sam usually wanted to watch.

"Thanks, Mom," Sam said, too.

"I'm gonna go comfort Alex now," Mitchie said. "I'll talk to you later. I love you, Sam."

"I love you, too."

"And Mama loves you, too, she's just having a moment," Mitchie said. "Goodnight, Shane."

"Night," the man said, hanging up the phone. He looked to Sam. "Okay, we can finish this episode, but then you have to take a bath and go to sleep. You have school in the morning."

Sam opened his mouth to protest but shut it quickly when he remembered he was supposed to be behaving. So, he just nodded and grabbed the remote from Shane, pushing the play button and resuming the episode.

* * *

Mitchie sat beside Alex on the couch and draped an arm around her shoulder. The raven-haired woman was staring at her feet with a blank expression.

"Alex, you gonna be okay, love?" Mitchie asked tenderly.

"I just can't believe it," she said in a low voice. "How could I have not known?"

"He's produced so much, who can keep track?" Mitchie told her, squeezing her shoulder in a reassuring manner.

"But this is _Spy Kids_!" Alex's head shot up, anger rising in her voice. "It's, like, one of my purest childhood memories. And now it's tainted."

Mitchie shook her head. "Alex, don't you think you're being a little dramatic?"

"I loved those movies, Mitchie!" Alex told her. "I wanted to be a spy when I was ten because of them. Carmen Cortez is one of the earliest crushes I ever had."

"I know," Mitchie said. "You've told me all this before."

"This sucks," Alex said with a groan. She turned her face and buried it in her wife's shoulder.

Mitchie smiled to herself, somewhat amused by Alex's reaction to finding out literal human garbage was partially responsible for one of her favorite movies.

"Well, the good news is that Shane sounds better," Mitchie said. "So now I feel better."

"That's good," Alex muttered, lifting her head to look at her wife. "No more anxiety?"

"Not about that," Mitchie answered. "But you do know what time it is, don't you?"

Alex did, so she nodded. They'd gotten in the routine of administering the invitro shots over the course of the week and by the third night they'd remembered without having to set an alarm. They still hurt like hell, but at least she was getting used to them.

"Come on," Alex said, standing from Mitchie's embrace and holding her hand out to her wife. "But you're going first this time."

"Fine," Mitchie relented, taking Alex's outstretched hand and pulling herself up.

* * *

 **So that shit about Allison Mack is true. I wish I was lying. And Alex's reaction to finding out Fuckstein produced _Spy Kids_ was basically my reaction. Hope you enjoyed.**

 **Until next time**

 **-DF**


	9. Welcome To New York

The weeks following Alex and Mitchie starting their fertility treatments were filled with doctor's appointments and occasional blood work to monitor their health over the course of the process. After a month of taking the shots it was finally time to retrieve the eggs. Things were finally coming to fruition, and that meant it was time to let their families in on their plan. They decided to tell Alex's parents first, with the help of Justin. Afterwards he would return to California with them for the donation, scheduling it for the day before Mitchie's egg retrieval procedure was set to take place.

Shane took Sam for the weekend so the mothers could fly out to New York. They'd decided to keep Sam in the dark until the pregnancy was confirmed, not wanting to get his hopes up in case they weren't successful the first time around. He'd been begging them for a sibling for the past two years, which is one of the reasons they decided to go ahead and do this whole thing in the first place. He didn't know anything about how much would actually go into having this baby, didn't understand that there was a chance it wouldn't work and even if it did they still might lose the baby. No, they would wait until it was a sure thing before telling him.

The flight to New York was long and bumpy, and Alex hated every moment of it. She wished she'd taken up Justin on his offer to zap them in, but in the end, they'd decided to fly. Even in first class Alex fault claustrophobic. There were too many people, and they all kept casting glances at her and Mitchie and taking pictures when they thought they weren't looking. Alex didn't suppose she blamed them, as Mitchie was famous and so was she by extension. It still made her feel weird, though. She'd never thought about what it was like to be on the other side of fame until it happened to her. It wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

By some miracle no one actually stopped them and asked them for a picture, though. It was odd how people would rather take awkward seflies over their shoulder from afar instead of approaching them and asking for a real photo. But Alex was thankful for that in the end because it allowed her and Mitchie to get on and off their flight and out of the airport without being bothered much.

After getting their bags they went to wait for Juliet, who was on her way to pick them up in Justin's car. Standing at the curb, Alex stretched out her arms and lifted her face into the sunlight.

"Ah, home," she said with a happy sigh, then took a deep breath. "Smell that New York City smog."

"L.A. has smog, too," Mitchie reminded her.

"Yeah, but it's not the same," Alex said with a pout.

"You're so weird," Mitchie said, shaking her head. She looked through the sea of cars, mostly cabs, in search of the tan Buick her brother and sister-in-law drove. "Is that her?" she asked, pointing.

Alex squinted and followed Mitchie's finger. "Yup." She waved her hand, trying to grab the blonde's attention. "Juliet!"

The driver of the tan vehicle turned at the shout and a huge smile spread across her face. She maneuvered through traffic until she was able to park and put her hazards on, popped the trunk, and hopped out of the car.

Juliet looked just as beautiful as ever, her golden hair long and curly, hanging over her shoulders. She wore a bright red blouse and shorts that showed off her toned legs. A joyful smile lit up her face.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite lesbians," she joked in greeting and pulled Alex into a hug.

"My favorite blood-thirsty vampire," Alex cooed in return, pulling out of the hug to look at the woman before her. "Good to see you."

"Same, chick," Juliet responded before pulling Mitchie into a hug as well. "And you, you're fucking gorgeous as ever, Mitch."

Mitchie laughed as Juliet picked her up and swung her around before setting her back on her feet. "Me?" she asked. "What about you? Eternal youth and all that."

"Please, I would kill to look older than I do," Juliet complained with a frown. "Like, I know I look eighteen, but I'm well over a hundred years old. Please just accept my forged ID and give me a beer when I'm at the bar with my husband."

Mitchie and Alex couldn't relate because they didn't drink, neither of them finding much interest in it after Mitchie's one and only experience with alcohol turned them both off to the idea of it. But they nodded sympathetically before they all climbed into the car and started making their way through traffic.

* * *

As soon as they walked into the Russo apartment Jerry and Theresa were upon them, both of them wrapping their arms around Mitchie and sandwiching her in between them as they hugged her. Alex stood awkwardly next to them, feeling dejected.

"Really?" she asked in exasperation. "Remember me, Alex? Your daughter?"

"Mitchie's our daughter, too," Theresa told her, still hanging onto her daughter-in-law.

"I mean your _real_ daughter," Alex said, rolling her eyes. "Good to see you, too, parents."

Finally Jerry and Theresa let go of Mitchie and tried to hug Alex. She hung her hands limply at her sides and frowned, still peeved she hadn't been greeted first. Harper then came running down the stairs, a blur of multi-colored fabric and red hair. She pulled the Russo parents off Alex and threw herself at her best friend, giving her the greeting Alex felt she deserved. Alex smiled and squeezed Harper.

"I missed you so much," Harper said, finally releasing the other woman.

"I missed you, too, Harp." Alex beamed and picked up a bag from the floor, handing it to her. "Wanna help me with these?"

Harper nodded earnestly and grabbed another bag from Mitchie, and together the two best friends climbed the spiral stairs to put the luggage in Justin's old room. When they returned to the living room Juliet had come back from parking the car. She was greeting her in-laws with kisses on the cheeks and smiles. Alex bristled. They saw Juliet on a weekly basis and still greeted her with more warmth than her. She'd have to talk to them about their priorities later.

Alex sat beside Mitchie on the couch, Harper following and sitting on the other side of Alex. She scooted closer and wrapped an arm around Alex's shoulder, pulling her into another sideways hug.

"At least you love me, Harper," Alex said, patting her friend's head affectionately.

"And I don't?" Mitchie asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Well, that's a given," she said with a smile. "My parents seem to love their daughters-in-laws more than their biological one."

"You know that's not true," Theresa said, and Alex looked up to see her mother standing on the other side of the couch, hands on her hips. "I love you. You're my baby." She leaned over and hugged Alex from behind.

Alex rolled her eyes but grinned at her mother's actions. "Max is the baby."

"You're all my babies. You'll always be my babies. Just like Sam will always be yours," Theresa said, releasing her daughter and straightening again. "Who I'm still upset I don't get to see, by the way."

"Yeah, guys, what gives?" Harper asked with a frown. "As happy as I am to see you, I miss my nephew."

Alex and Mitchie exchanged a glance as all eyes turned to them, Jerry and Juliet now joining the conversation. The only other person in the room who knew about the baby was Juliet, since her husband's sperm was involved. She'd been involved with the decision from the beginning, encouraging Justin to agree when he had doubts. Harper had not been told, even if they had told Caitlyn. Alex didn't want to keep it from her best friend, but Harper tended to have a loud mouth. How she'd kept the wizard secret all these years Alex honestly didn't know. But Harper lived with her parents. Seeing them every day would be too tempting for her. And this was something that was better coming from her.

"He's with Shane," Mitchie said, which was the truth technically.

"Where's Max?" Alex asked quickly, hoping to take the attention away from Sam's absence.

"He had a date," Jerry said, frowning. "We told him you were coming in, but you know how he is."

"He had a pretty girl on the brain and nothing else," Alex said, nodding. "I understand completely."

Jerry shook his head at his daughter's response. He opened his mouth to say something else but was cut off by a bright flash and a _pop_. Justin appeared, still wearing his WizTec teaching robes. Alex frowned at his flaunting of his powers. Obviously, their last talk about toning it down hadn't stayed with him.

"Sorry I'm late. Lesson ran a little long," he said, immediately going over to Juliet and draping an arm over her shoulder. She reached up and laced her fingers through his as he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.

"Justin, when are you going to get your hair cut?" Theresa asked, frowning.

Justin reached up and felt his man-bun. "Juliet likes it this way."

"It makes him look sexy," she agreed.

"Sexy? Him?" Alex asked with a frown.

"Yes, Alex, people who aren't my gay sister find me attractive. Shocking, I know." Justin rolled his eyes.

* * *

They all sat down to dinner, enjoying roast and potatoes while conversation flowed freely. Mitchie and Alex shared funny stories about the things Sam had gotten into recently, Juliet and Justin told them about the group of goblins that had recently run amuck across the city they had finally managed to track down, and Harper bragged about her online clothing store finally taking off. Soon it was time for dessert, and Jerry's eyes lit up as Theresa cut up a pecan pie and started serving it. Alex watched him attack his piece, finishing it before her mother had even served everyone and held out his plate for a second serving.

"Jerry, really?" Theresa asked, rolling her eyes. Alex fought the urge to laugh. It was nice to see her father's sweet tooth hadn't disappeared.

Mitchie placed a hand on Alex's knee, turning her wife's attention to her. She raised her eyebrows, looking at the former wizard pointedly. Alex nodded, understanding what Mitchie was asking without her even having to say it. She put her hand atop Mitchie's and laced their fingers.

"Well, now seems as good a time as any," Mitchie began and cleared her throat to get everyone's attention. Everyone stopped and looked at the songstress, then to Alex, who seemed nervous all of a sudden.

"For what?" Jerry asked, his eyes returning to the pie as Theresa began to cut his second piece.

Alex took a breath, trying to steady herself. She felt like she was shaking. "We're not just here for a visit. We're here because we wanted to tell you something."

"Something we didn't want to say on the phone," Mitchie added.

"Is everything okay?" Theresa asked quickly. She put down the knife, to Jerry's dismay. "Is one of you sick? Is it Sam? Oh my god… Is Sam sick?" She put her hand over her heart, panicking slightly.

"Mom, calm down," Alex said quickly. Her mother had a habit of always jumping to the worst conclusions. "Everyone's fine and healthy, we promise."

"Then what's going on?" Jerry asked, suddenly interested. His eyes grew wide as a thought occurred to him. "You're not getting a divorce, are you?" He looked to Mitchie. "Mitchie, I know Alex is hard to deal with, but give her a chance. She can change!"

"Dad, why do you assume if we are getting a divorce it's my fault?" Alex asked angrily. "We're not, by the way."

"Good," Theresa said, thankful that hadn't been where the conversation was heading. They'd grown to love Mitchie as one of their own over the years, and the thought of part of their family splitting up was one of her greatest fears.

"Guys, can you stop guessing and just let them tell you?" Justin shook his head at his parents.

"You know what's going on?" Jerry asked, turning to his son.

"Justin knows what's going on, but I don't?" Harper asked in an accusing tone, her eyes darting between Alex and Mitchie.

A loud whistle cut through the voices and everyone turned to see Juliet with her fingers in her mouth. Once it was quiet she removed her fingers and smiled at everyone apologetically.

"Sorry," she said quickly. "Now, Alex, Mitchie, please continue." They gave her appreciative smiles.

"So… uh," Alex said nervously. "We decided that it was time to expand our family."

"So, we're having a baby," Mitchie said for clarification. "Alex… Alex is having a baby."

The occupants of the table were silent, staring at the women for a moment. Then Harper's face broke out into a huge smile, and Theresa wailed happily, going over to Alex and wrapping her arms around her daughter.

"My baby's having a baby!" she said, tears springing to her eyes. "I never thought this day would come."

"This is amazing!" Jerry beamed and glanced at Alex's stomach, then back to her face. "You're pregnant?"

"Not yet, but we're working on it," Alex said as her mother finally stopped suffocating her with a hug.

"We have a few more steps before we're there," Mitchie added. "Next we just need our donor to make his… donation."

"Don't they have them readily available at the sperm bank?" Theresa asked, returning to her chair and resuming cutting the pie for Jerry to have another slice. She was so happy with the news she didn't mind letting him have a little extra treat now.

"We're using someone we know," Alex said.

"Please tell me it's not Shane," Harper said with a frown. She'd met him a few times and greatly disliked the man, mostly for Alex's sake. "Can he even father children anymore after Mitchie's dad kneed him at your wedding reception?" she joked.

Since Shane had gone to Mitchie and Alex's wedding it was inevitable that Steve finally met Shane. The ceremony went fine, mostly because Steve actually thought Sam's dad's name was Shawn. Mitchie had thought he'd been kidding all that time or simply getting it wrong on purpose out of spite. But after seeing Sam next to Shane at some point the dots connected in Steve's head. He was ready to kill the infuriating popstar, but his wife calmed him down enough by reminding him not to ruin their daughter's special day. But he did knee Shane in the groin. Mitchie didn't mind, mostly because Alex doubled over with laughter, and the sound of her laugh was music to the singer's ears.

"We haven't asked him," Alex said in reference to Shane's child producing abilities. "But honestly, that could only be a good thing. We got lucky Sam is so much like Mitchie. Can you imagine little Shanes running around?" She shivered, the thought chilling her to her core.

"Well if it's someone you know, and it's not Shane then who is it?" Theresa asked.

Justin cleared his throat, blushing when all eyes turned to him. "That would be me." Both Russo parents looked back and forth between their children with confused expressions.

"How—" Jerry began.

"It's my egg," Mitchie cut him off quickly, knowing this was probably going to go the same way it had when they told Shane. "It's all done by doctors in a lab."

"Like Kim and Kanye did?" Harper asked excitedly.

"Exactly! Thank you, Harper!" Alex smiled at her friend appreciatively. "Finally, someone gets it."

"Justin, are you sure about this?" Theresa asked, turning to her son. "Are you really okay with fathering their child?"

"I mean, I won't be the kid's father," Justin said. "I mean, technically, yes, I will. But I signed papers that relinquish any rights, and I'm honestly fine with that."

"How can you be fine with not being a dad to your kid?" Jerry frowned.

"Because it's not my kid," Justin said. "I am the closest thing to a male Alex there is. They're my sisters. I love them. I would do anything for them." He briefly glanced around. "I'm fine with just being Uncle Justin, really. Alex and Mitchie are all the parents any kid could ever need."

Theresa frowned and looked to Juliet. "And what about you? He's your husband. How do you feel about this?"

"Are you kidding?" Juliet asked with a laugh. "I'm the one who convinced him to do it. I think it's a great idea."

"Yeah," Mitchie said. "This way the baby is still related to me and Sam by blood, but also to all of you as well. You can finally have a real grandchild."

"Sam is our grandchild, Mitchie," Theresa said quickly. "We've always loved him as if he was blood. Please know that." She reached across the table and took her daughter-in-law's hand that wasn't still joined with Alex's under the table.

Mitchie smiled shyly and bit her lip. She didn't want to get too choked up, not in front of everyone. "Thank you. He loves you, too."

"And we are happy," Jerry said softly. "I don't know if that message got across, but we are." He smiled at them, his eyes getting misty like Mitchie's.

"Dad, you haven't even realized the best part yet," Alex said with a smirk. "Since this is going to be a Russo baby there's going to be a little something special about it."

Jerry stared at her blankly for a few moments before his jaw dropped open. "We get another family wizard!"

"Exactly," Alex said, smiling brightly now.

Since Juliet was a vampire she was unable to have children. That meant that Justin would, by extension, not father children unless they used a surrogate themselves. It was something they had talked about, especially since Justin felt the pressure to carry on his family heritage. Since he was the family wizard that meant his children would get powers. The only reason they got powers was because their uncle, his generation's family wizard never had children. So, they got them by default. By technically fathering Mitchie and Alex's child he automatically stopped Max from being able to pass down the gene. And since finding out his now-adult brother was most likely sexually active, that seemed like a good idea. Plus, there was always adoption. He liked the idea of giving a child who needed one a home, and maybe that would be an avenue they explored someday. But at the moment, he was happy just giving this gift to his sister and her wife.

* * *

Later, after Theresa and Jerry had gone to bed and Harper had gone down to the basement (which she had turned into her clothing workshop), the two couples of Juliet and Justin and Alex and Mitchie sat in the living room watching the family television. Mitchie and Alex sat cuddled on the couch while Juliet and Justin occupied the armchair, the petite blonde seated comfortably on her husband's lap. Alex groaned as another commercial interrupted the program. She and Mitchie didn't have cable, only ever streaming or downloading what they wanted to watch. Alex had forgotten how annoying commercials were now that she didn't have to deal with them anymore.

"We should get them a smart TV and a Netflix subscription for Christmas," Alex said.

"We'll get them Netflix _and_ Hulu if you by them the TV," Juliet chimed in.

"Deal," Alex said.

"Do you really think Dad will be able to figure out how to use a smart TV?" Justin asked with a laugh. "They got a DVR, and Dad got so mad trying to hook it up that the only thing that kept him from throwing it off the balcony was Mom reminding him how much money it cost."

The door to the loft opened and Max walked in, a dreamy look on his face and shirt inside out. He'd shot up over the years, now standing nearly a foot taller than Alex, and he had stubble on his chin. He plopped down heavily on the couch on the other side of Alex, seeming to not have noticed his sister or sister-in-law.

"Uh, hi, Max," Alex said pointedly to her brother.

He turned his head and looked at her. "Hey, what's up?"

"What's up?" She curled her lip at him. "That's how you greet me? You haven't seen me in months. I don't get a hug, a 'good to see you.'"

"Is your shirt inside out?" Mitchie asked, looking across Alex to Max.

"It's also backwards," Alex said, pointing to the tag sticking out and nearly brushing his chin. "On second thought, don't hug me. Just go wash your hands."

"Why?" Max asked innocently. "What'd I do?"

"Alex, to be fair, it not may be what you think," Juliet jumped in. "I've seen him wear his clothes backwards before."

"Still, it's Max," Justin said thoughtfully. "When's the last time you washed your hands?" he asked his brother.

"After Brianna and I hooked up," he answered.

Alex and Justin buried their faces in their hands while Mitchie and Juliet found amusement from the situation, both of them snickering.

"Okay, so it was what you thought, but at least he washed his hands after," Juliet said.

"I'm actually a little proud," Alex said, removing her face from her hands.

"For the sex or for the hand washing?" Mitchie asked, laughing.

"Both?" Alex said, pausing to think about it briefly before nodding. "Yeah, both."

* * *

Shane had cut back on the drinking a lot since the first week after finding out about the damage he caused to Tess's life. He'd had a month to get over it, and though he wasn't there yet, he was finding ways to keep it off his mind. He threw himself into writing a new album, which would be his second solo album since Connect 3 broke up.

Seeing Sam more often was a great help. It reminded him of why he'd done what he'd done in the first place, even if it had been one of the lowest parts in his life. Sam still had no idea any of this had even happened, but Shane hoped if he did find out one day he wouldn't look at him badly.

But for the moment Sam was over the moon. He loved spending so much time with Shane, even if he was sad about being left behind while Mitchie and Alex visited his grandparents and uncles and aunts in New York. Shane could see he was still slightly dejected about the whole situation over breakfast Saturday morning, so he suggested they play catch to hopefully get his mind off it.

Shane had some old gloves and a baseball somewhere in the house, he knew it. They were just buried in a box in the attic somewhere. So, after breakfast he and Sam headed up there in search of the sports equipment.

After going through several boxes and getting dusty in the process, Shane finally came upon the box with the gloves and ball. He sighed in relief, glad he still had them after all. He picked them up, nearly dropped them again when he saw what was hidden underneath. He checked over his shoulder to make sure Sam was still occupied, and when he saw that he was he set the baseball equipment to the side. With a shaky had he reached into the box again and pulled out an old video camera.

His insides turned cold as he realized he'd accidentally lied to Mitchie and Alex. Yes, he'd destroyed all the copies of the video he'd made with Tess. But he completely forgot about the camera. He'd simply copied the files over. He'd never bothered to delete them from the hard drive of the camcorder itself. That meant a single copy of it still existed. And he was holding it in his hands. He quickly dropped the camera back in the box before Sam could see it. Composing himself, he picked up the mitts and ball again.

"Found them," Shane said, his voice sounding odd to him.

Sam didn't seem to notice, though, because he smiled and pumped his fist. Together the descended the stairs to the attic, Sam never realizing that Shane's mind was now far away. He kept thinking about the camera, hidden once again in a box in his attic. There was nothing he could do about it at the moment. Not with Sam present. So he would just have to wait, wait until Mitchie and Alex got back from New York, wait until Sam went back to their house so he could destroy the video.

* * *

 **Until next time,**

 **DF**


	10. Half The Battle

**Ya'll, Demetria made it to 26. I'm so proud of her lil stupid ass. Love her so much. Okay, have at it now.**

* * *

Justin returned to California Sunday evening with Alex and Mitchie. The next morning they all went to the clinic together. Justin made his donation, and not long after Mitchie underwent the egg retrieval procedure. After it was over and she'd been monitored for an hour, they were cleared to go home. She was given pain pills just in case and was discharged into her wife's care. Her doctor did warn her to take it easy, however, so when the three returned to the house they settled onto the couch and fired up Netflix. Any time Mitchie needed something either Alex or Justin got up to get it for her.

As Alex returned from the kitchen with a bowl of fruit Mitchie had mentioned she _might_ want Mitchie had to roll her eyes.

"Babe, you don't have to wait on me hand and foot," Mitchie said as Alex sat down beside her again. "Walking to and from the kitchen isn't going to overexert me."

"I'm not taking any chances," Alex said. "So just accept my love and deal with it." She smirked and lightly pinched Mitchie's cheek. "Besides, you were cramping earlier."

"Yeah, earlier, not anymore," Mitchie said. "And it was nothing. I get worse cramps when I'm about to start my period."

"Guys, I don't want to hear this," Justin said with a look of distaste.

Alex rounded on him. "It's a normal bodily function, Justin. Get over it. Girls have periods. You have a wife."

"Who doesn't menstruate because she's a vampire," he countered. "Which you should know. We learned that in wizard lessons."

"You think I remember a random thing from something I learned ten years ago?" Alex asked and snorted.

"That's Alex, remembers random little tidbits from shit that we did years ago, but expect her to remember she studied?" Mitchie shrugged. "Forget about it."

"It's cute that you think I studied." Alex patted Mitchie's head, and her wife rolled her eyes again in response.

"My mistake," Mitchie said, then checked the time on her phone. "We're gonna have to leave to go get Sam soon."

Shane had kept him an extra night since Mitchie and Alex's flight had gotten in late, and he brought him to school in the morning. But they were getting him back that afternoon, and though Alex was excited, she hesitated.

"I don't think you should leave the house," she said.

"Alex, seriously, I'm fine," Mitchie said with a sigh. "But if it makes you happy I'll stay."

"I kind of don't want to leave you, either," Alex admitted before looking to Justin. "Could you go get him?"

"Sure," Justin said, nodding. "I'll even do it the non-magical way. Just gimme your car keys."

Alex got up from the couch and went to grab her keys in the foyer. When she returned to the living room she placed them in Justin's outstretched hand.

"Be careful with my baby," she warned him.

"Alex, I'm not going to let anything happen to Sam," he told her.

"I was talking about the car," she said. "But yeah, keep Sam safe, too."

Justin rolled his eyes. "I'll be back later," he said before heading out the door.

"I'll call the school and let them know Justin's picking him up," Mitchie said, reaching for her phone.

* * *

Nearly an hour later they heard the door open and Justin's and Sam's voices floated into the room. Mitchie and Alex paused their show as the boys came into the living room. Sam instantly went over to the couch and sat between his mothers when they scooted to make a place for him. They wrapped their arms around him, sandwiching him between them.

"Hi, my boy," Mitchie cooed. "We missed you."

"I missed you, too," he said as they released him. "I was sad when you didn't come get me from school."

"Even though I picked you up?" Justin said as he sat in the armchair. "You seemed pretty happy to see me."

"I was, but I was still sad that my moms weren't there."

Alex felt her heart squeeze, in a good way. "Well, we're here now. And you're staying with us all week. Shane's gonna have to deal with not taking you this weekend."

"And I'm here 'til Wednesday," Justin added with a smile.

"Cool," Sam said, his eyes lighting up. "Can Uncle Justin sleep in my room?"

"Sam, you have a twin bed," Mitchie reminded him.

"He can sleep on the floor," Sam offered.

"Yeah, Justin, wanna sleep on the floor?" Alex asked with a grin, knowing full well he didn't.

"As tempting as that sounds, I think I'll keep the guest bedroom," he said. When Sam frowned he quickly added, "All my stuff's already in there. I'd have to move it. It's easier this way."

"You're a wizard, Uncle Justin. You can just zap your stuff into my room," he told him. Sam had been too young to remember having powers, but the Russo family secret was not kept from him. After all, he was a part of the family. He knew Alex had been a wizard at one point, and that Justin was currently one. He loved it when Justin did magic, and he encouraged him to do it whenever possible.

"Your mom has asked me not to use my magic around her anymore," Justin said, and Alex widened her eyes at him.

Why did he have to drag her into it? Now she looked like the bad guy.

"Oh, now you remember?" Alex said, shooting him a glare.

Justin stared at her for a few moments before hopping up from his seat. "I think I'm gonna go start on dinner." He began to retreat from the room.

"Justin, you don't have to do that," Mitchie said, attempting to stop him.

"I want to," he said quickly and disappeared into the kitchen.

Alex sighed before turning her attention back to Sam. "How was your weekend, bud?"

"Good," he said. "I would have liked to go to New York with you, though."

"I know, hon, but you would have had to miss school on Friday," Mitchie said and reached out to stroke his curls.

"I wouldn't have minded," he said.

Mitchie laughed. "Well I know _you_ wouldn't have minded, but _I_ would have."

"You guys never let me have any fun," Sam grumbled.

Mitchie raised her eyebrows at him. "You're right. I'm a terrible mom. And since you can't have any fun ever, why don't you get started on your homework?"

Sam sighed heavily but stood from the couch and went to the kitchen. Alex shook her head and stood as well.

"Better go help him," she said before bending down and kissing Mitchie on the crown of her head. "You stay, relax."

"Do I have a choice?" Mitchie asked with a smirk.

"Nope."

Alex left Mitchie on the couch and headed to the kitchen. When she got there Sam was busy taking his books out of his bag while Justin washed some vegetables in the sink. At the sight of her brother an excellent idea occurred to her.

"Hey, Justin, how about I take over dinner and you help Sam with his homework?" she asked. "I mean, who better than the man who helped me graduate high school?" She was laying it on thick, but she really didn't want to sit through a math worksheet at the moment.

"Okay," Justin said. "Sounds fun." He dropped the vegetables in the sink and dried his hands with the dishrag before going to sit down at the table.

Alex smiled, glad he took the bait. She knew he was serious when he said it sounded fun, and he probably would enjoy it. Maybe she'd done him a favor. Plus, he was no doubt better at all things school than her. He was a certified teacher in both the mortal and wizard realm. This was his expertise.

* * *

The next day they were called with the good news that fertilization had occurred. They were so thrilled they could barely hold in their excitement, and they had to be careful not to accidentally say something in front of Sam. It was hard, too. It was all they wanted to talk about. But they reminded themselves that they still had a long way to go.

A few days later Alex had two embryos implanted in her uterus, hoping it would double their chances that one would take. She, like Mitchie, was discharged quickly and sent home with pain pills in case of cramping. She however, unlike Mitchie, could not handle any kind of pain.

At the slightest cramp she would wine loudly and clutch her stomach. Mitchie hadn't wanted to leave the house with Alex in the state she was in, even though she had a feeling her wife was being a tad dramatic. So, she called Caitlyn to pick up Sam, and she did. She even helped him with his homework and ordered food to be delivered for dinner. Alex loved to give Caitlyn a hard time about coming over so much, but she had to admit the girl was good to them.

The two weeks they had to wait after Alex's procedure were the most difficult in Alex's and Mitchie's lives. They just wanted to know if all they'd went through had paid off. All the shots, the appointments, and hoping just couldn't be for nothing.

The weekend before the appointment to confirm if either of the embryos had taken Alex couldn't take it any longer. She slipped out, claiming she was going to buy ice cream. Sam was beyond excited when Alex returned with a carton of rocky road, but Mitchie eyed her wife suspiciously. Later, when Sam was in bed, Alex went back out to the car and got the test she'd bought from the console where she'd hidden it. As soon as she walked into their bedroom with it Mitchie's eyes fell on the box.

"How did I know?" she asked with a smirk. "You are so impatient."

"Oh, like you don't want to know," Alex said, rolling her eyes. "I'm taking this. Whether you want to be there or not is up to you."

"As if I'd let you take it without me," Mitchie said, stepping forward and taking the box from her wife's hand. "Besides, I've taken one of these before. You need my expertise."

"Mitchie, I know how to pee on a stick," Alex said with a laugh.

"Pretty sure I said the same thing to Caitlyn," Mitchie said, smiling a little. "Come on, let's go." She grabbed Alex's hand and led her to the bathroom.

She waited while Alex took the test, sitting on the bathroom cabinet with her back pressed against the mirror. It was impossible for her mind not to roam to the time she'd taken a very similar test. She'd been much younger then, too young. She'd been sixteen with her whole life ahead of her and terrified beyond belief. As she waited for the results she'd never felt more alone, despite Caitlyn being on the phone with her. It was one of the lowest moments of her life, and she'd thought it was over. Little did she know she would still get everything she'd ever wanted, and then some.

She wasn't the one taking the test, but she still had a stake in it. Its results still defined her future. Only this time she wasn't afraid. She was nervous, yes, but also excited. And so happy that she had someone to go through this with this time around.

Alex finished and set the test aside on top of a wad of toilet paper. She went over to the sink and wished her hands, glancing up at the mirror. She caught Mitchie's reflection, saw that Mitchie was staring at her with a warm smile. Alex blushed as she dried her hands with the towel before turning to the other woman.

"What?" she asked, self-consciously tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"Nothing," Mitchie said, shaking her head lightly. "I was just thinking about how happy I am to be doing this with you." She reached out and grabbed Alex's hand, pulling her closer. Alex settled herself so she was between Mitchie's legs, which were dangling over the edge of the counter. "This is literally a dream come true for me. To have a family with someone I love."

"We already have a family, Mitch," Alex said. She let go of Mitchie's hand to settle her own on her lover's hips.

"I know, but we're growing it," Mitchie said and snaked her arms around Alex's neck. "I've always wanted this. The house, the career, the kids, even the dog." She paused to laugh at the mention of T-Rex. "Point is, since meeting you, you've always found a way to make every one of my dreams come true. So, thank you."

"How many times do I have to tell you that you don't need to thank me?"

"I'll never stop thanking you," Mitchie said seriously. "I'll never stop trying to deserve you, I'll never stop watching as you walk away, I'll never stop kissing you goodnight, and I'll never stop forgiving you when you drive me crazy." She brought her hand to Alex's cheek and stroked her face. "Because while I think I could go on living without you, without you I'd be miserable at best."

Alex bit her lip and fought against the tears welling in her eyes. She glanced at her feet shyly before meeting Mitchie's gaze again. "You know you've made my dreams come true, too, Mitch." She blinked in an attempt to dry her eyes. "Before I met you I thought all I wanted was to be a wizard. But you made me realize that none of that mattered if I didn't have someone to share my life with. Since the moment I met you all I ever wanted was you."

Mitchie smiled, now trying to fight her own tears. "You'll always have me." Alex returned her smile and leaned forward to kiss Mitchie, frowning when Mitchie held up a hand to stop her. "Hold on, lemme set a timer so we don't forget about the test," she said quickly, which turned Alex's frown upside down. After she set the alarm she looped her arm around Alex's neck once more. "Now, where were we…"

* * *

When the timer went off Alex and Mitchie didn't turn it off at first, still lost in their heated make out session. Mitchie pulled away first, chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.

"Pause for the cause," Mitchie said with a smirk, pushing Alex away from her lightly and hopping off the counter.

"That's still my favorite way to pass time," Alex said breathlessly before grinning mischievously. "Well, second favorite."

Mitchie rolled her eyes good-naturedly. She went over to the toilet and picked up the test, which she'd told Alex repeatedly beforehand to place facedown so they could do the big reveal. Thankfully she'd done so, and Mitchie carried the test to where Alex stood, holding it facedown still.

"Ready?" Mitchie asked, raising her eyebrows.

Alex nodded, butterflies coming to life in her stomach. She hoped that was a good sign. "Do it."

Mitchie nodded quickly before she took a deep breath and flipped over the test. Her and Alex's heads immediately bent over the test, their eyes wide and expectant as they looked at the results screen. A little plus sign stared back at them.

"Oh my god," Mitchie said in an excited tone.

"That's good, right?" Alex asked hopefully.

"Yes!" Mitchie squealed. "We did it, babe!" She jumped onto Alex, wrapping her arms around her neck and her legs around her waist. Alex caught her and held her, beaming.

Relief and happiness spread through both of their chests. They knew technically tests could be wrong and nothing would be truly confirmed until their doctor's appointment. But at the moment they let themselves feel the excitement, despite the fact that so many things could still go wrong. They just wanted to hold onto the hope it wouldn't.

That Monday Mitchie woke up way before the alarm, already buzzing with excitement over their appointment. She lay awake for a while, trying to go back to sleep. She shifted, trying to get into a comfortable position. Alex stirred as she felt Mitchie tossing and turning next to her. She woke, opening her eyes slowly and groaning.

"Mitchie," she said, her voice still thickly laced with sleep.

"Sorry," Mitchie said quietly. She stopped moving, resting on her side so she was facing Alex. "I can't go back to sleep. I'm too excited."

Alex's lips twitched into a small smile. "I'm excited, too. But I could definitely sleep."

"And you should," Mitchie said with a small nod. "I'm just gonna get up so I don't keep disturbing you."

Mitchie climbed down from the bed and padded out of the room. She was surprised when a hand caught hers as she got to the stairs. She turned to see Alex smiling at her. She was confused, but she returned it.

"I thought you wanted to sleep?" she questioned.

"No, I said I _could_ sleep," Alex said, shaking her head. "But if you're getting up, I'm getting up with you."

Mitchie's eyes softened. "You're giving up sleeping to spend time with me?"

Alex chuckled a little and nodded. "I just wanna be with you right now."

Mitchie felt her heart melt. She leaned forward and kissed Alex gently before pulling back slightly. "Okay," she murmured against her wife's lips and kissed her again.

* * *

Around noon on Monday they sat in an exam room waiting for the results of Alex's blood work and urine test. Alex sat on the exam table, and the paper crinkled every time she fidgeted. Mitchie sat in a chair beside her, holding her hand.

"So even if this is positive I still have to keep taking the shots for a while, right?" she asked, looking to her wife.

"We both do," Mitchie said nodding.

Alex resisted the urge to groan. "I am so tired of needles. Between the shots and the constant bloodwork I'm starting to feel like a pin cushion."

"We're halfway there," Mitchie reminded her, giving her hand a squeeze.

The door opened and Dr. Matthews walked in, smiling brightly at them. "Good morning, ladies," she said as she shut the door. "Are we ready for the results?" She held up her clipboard and raised her eyebrows at them." Both women nodded enthusiastically as their doctor sat on the rolling stool and placed the clipboard in her lap. She folded her hands on top of it and looked between them, still smiling. "Well, both the bloodwork and the urine sample came back positive for the pregnancy hormone. Congratulations, ladies. It worked."

Alex and Mitchie turned to face each other, both smiling incredibly wide. Mitchie's eyes moistened, tears of joy threatening to fall. Alex brought their intertwined hands up to her mouth and kissed Mitchie's knuckles sweetly.

"Now, you're not out of the woods, yet," Dr. Matthews warned them. "Keep taking the injections and we'll have you in periodically to see if it sticks." She frowned slightly, shifting on her stool. "I know it'll be tough if this one doesn't, but please don't be discouraged. I want you to be realistic."

"We know," Mitchie said quickly, nodding. "But it's hard not to want to celebrate."

"You can," Dr. Matthew said. "Just be prepared in case this goes south is all I'm saying."

The women nodded, her words registering but not quite penetrating their bubble of happiness. They'd decided not to tell anyone outside their immediate family about their plans, and weren't going to reveal they'd been successful until they were out of the woods. They also still needed to let Mitchie's parents in on the plan. Mitchie felt bad about keeping them in the dark, but like they'd told Alex's parents, it wasn't something you said on the phone. It was just hard to find time to do so when they were back in the studio working and her parents had their own lives and jobs in Texas. But they'd finally been able to arrange for them to come that weekend for a visit after Mitchie and Alex offered to pay for the flight. So, they wouldn't be keeping it from them much longer. Mitchie smiled to herself, knowing this time would go a lot smoother than when she'd told them about Sam.

* * *

 **And we're finally getting somewhere!**

 **Until next time.**

 **-DF**


	11. Meant To Be

**I don't own Camp Rock or Wizards of Waverly Place. Meh.**

* * *

Steve and Connie got in Friday around noon. Mitchie picked them up from the airport and brought them back to the house. When they arrived Alex was putting the finishing touches on lunch, and after they set their bags down in the guest room they all sat down to eat.

Mitchie could hardly touch her chicken, her stomach too knotted with excitement. She pushed her food around with her fork before finally setting it down with a sigh. She looked to her wife, caught her eye, and raised her eyebrows. Alex swallowed and wiped her mouth with her napkin before nodding at Mitchie. Connie and Steve watched the interaction, interested.

"Everything okay?" Connie asked.

"Yeah, everything's fine, great in fact," Mitchie said with a slight smile. "We just have to tell you guys something."

"Here we go," Steve said, setting down his own utensils. "Remember the last time she said she had to tell us something?"

"Yeah, she was pregnant," Connie said with a laugh, then looked to her daughter. "Mitchie are you pregnant again?" She smirked, thinking about the fact that once she'd gotten used to Mitchie dating Alex she actually loved the idea. It eliminated the chance that Mitchie could accidentally get pregnant again.

"No, _I'm_ not," Mitchie said slowly.

"But I am," Alex said.

Steve and Connie both froze and stared at their daughter-in-law. Steve narrowed his eyes, clearly confused.

"How—" he began, frowning. "Did you cheat—"

"Oh, Steve, of course not," Connie said quickly. "How could you even think that of Alex?" She frowned at her husband disapprovingly. "Have you seen the way she looks at Mitchie? Have you been paying attention the last eight years?"

"Thank you, Connie," Alex said softly, her eyes going to her lap shyly. "That's one of the nicest things anyone's ever said about me."

"I mean it," Connie said sweetly, and soon she was breaking into a smile. She stood and walked around the table. She took Alex's face in her hands and made the younger woman look at her. "You are an amazing wife to my daughter and a wonderful mother to Sam. I'm so happy for you both." She kissed Alex atop the head before moving to her daughter and wrapping her arms around her tightly.

"I'm happy, too, even if I'm still confused," Steve chimed in.

"They probably got a sperm donor, Steve, it's really common now," Connie said as she released Mitchie and sat back down in her chair. "Am I correct?"

Mitchie nodded. "Sounds like you know your stuff, Mom." She smiled. "Do you know what gestational surrogacy is?"

Connie thought about it for a moment, her brow crinkling. "I think I read an article about it somewhere. Is that the one where you take the eggs of one woman and put them in someone else?" Mitchie nodded, and Connie's face lit up. "Oh, Mitchie, Alex is carrying _your_ baby?" She put her hand over her heart, getting choked up. "I think I'm gonna cry."

"Don't start, because if you do then Mitchie probably will, and then I'll start," Alex warned. She hadn't started to get mood swings yet, but she didn't want to push her luck.

"I'll try, but no promises," Connie said. "Are you going to find out what it is this time? Or do you want to be difficult again?" She shot Mitchie a look, referring to the fact that Mitchie insisted she be surprised in the delivery room.

"I don't want to know," Mitchie said hesitantly.

"But she knows I do," Alex said quickly. "And since it's my body I think I have a right to know."

Mitchie shot her a playful glare. "We have nearly nine months to talk about it."

"I think you should find out," Connie interjected. "It would be nice to know what to buy this time around, or if you need to buy anything if you're having a boy." She smiled. "Plus, it's easier to figure out names when you know."

"You're _not_ helping with that," Mitchie said, laughing slightly. "You wanted me to name Sam Talan, which means forehead."

"I don't remember that," Connie said dismissively.

"I do," Mitchie said. "Sorry, Mom, your input is vetoed."

"You're no fun," Connie said, pouting at her. "Alex, you'll let me suggest names, won't you?" She looked to her daughter-in-law.

"Alex doesn't like people telling her what to do, so probably not," Mitchie quipped with a smirk.

"I'm not telling her what to do, I just want to help," Connie insisted.

"Con." Steve reached out and put his hand on hers. "Leave it be. They're perfectly capable of coming up with names for either gender on their own." He looked to them. "And if you do end up finding out, just let us know whether we can expect another grandson or our first granddaughter." He smiled widely at him, the sides of his eyes crinkling slightly.

"Thanks, Dad," Mitchie said quietly. She let out a happy sigh, glad this had gone smoothly. She'd expected it to, unlike the first time she'd had a similar conversation with them. But it was still nice to get it out in the open and know once and for all that her parents had her back. Their excitement just added to hers, and now they just had to tell Sam once it was safe enough to do so.

"Just don't say anything to Sam," Alex warned. "We want to wait until the time is right, there's still so much that could go wrong. We don't want him to get his hopes up in case this whole thing goes south."

"It won't," Mitchie said quickly. She was convinced that the more positive energy they put out there the more likely things would turn out okay. "But just in case it doesn't, yes, please don't say anything."

Connie and Steve nodded. They were bursting with excitement. This was completely different from when Mitchie told them she was expecting Sam. Back then she'd been just a child herself, and she was nowhere near ready for the responsibility of raising one. And while Mitchie rose to the occasion, Connie and Steve still shouldered some of Sam's parenting while Mitchie still lived under their roof. This time Mitchie was ready. She had a wife, a home, and completely supported herself. Connie and Steve didn't feel the same disappointment, confusion, heartbreak, or anger they felt the first time around. This time they were all bliss and smiles, thrilled by the news they got the opportunity to be grandparents again.

* * *

Sam launched himself at Steve the moment he returned from school. The man caught him and attempted to hoist him up like he did when he was younger but found he couldn't do it anymore.

"Sam, what are your moms feeding you?" he asked with a laugh. "You're so big I can't even lift you anymore."

"Too much healthy stuff," Sam said before going over to hug Connie. "Hi, Grandma."

"My Samuel!" Connie smothered Sam's face in kisses. "My handsome boy, I missed you so much. You're turning into such a little man." She held him at arm's length to get a better look at him. "You need a haircut," she commented.

"We keep telling him that, but he doesn't want to go," Alex said with a frown. "Sam, seriously it's almost as long as Mom's," she said in regards to Mitchie's chin-length hair. "Just let us get it trimmed a little."

"No," Sam said, his shaggy curls swaying as he shook his head. "I want it to get long like Uncle Justin's so I can wear it up like him."

"Dear lord, child, no," Alex said. "There will be no man buns in this household."

Sam rolled his eyes. "See? I told you you're no fun," he grumbled before exiting into the kitchen.

"I think I'll go help him with his homework," Connie said.

"Mom, you don't have to do that," Mitchie said quickly.

Connie shook her head. "I want to. Gives me a chance to spend time with him." She smiled briefly before following Sam into the kitchen.

"I think I'll was your cars," Steve said. "Might as well be useful while I'm here."

"Dad, seriously, please don't," Mitchie said. "You're supposed to be here visiting. Just sit down and hang out with me and Alex."

"Mitchie, if the man wants to wash the cars for me, let him do whatever makes his heart content," Alex said with a smile. She didn't trust to bring their cars to an automated wash, and she was too lazy to leave the house to bring it to a detailing place. So most of the time she washed the cars herself. But she hated doing it because of her lazy nature. Steve offering was an opportunity she didn't want to pass up. "Keys are in the kitchen, and there's a sponge and a bucket in the garage."

"I won't be long," he said, smiling to his daughter briefly before leaving the room.

"That's my dad," Mitchie said with a sigh. "Can't keep still."

"Yeah, that's where our dads differ. Mine just likes to sit on the couch and rub his belly while he watches tv," Alex said, smiling. "That's always usually when I liked to ask him stuff I knew he'd normally say no to. It's when he was happiest, so it was the easiest time to get him to agree."

"You used to be so manipulative," Mitchie said with a smirk as she sat down on the couch.

"I still am," Alex said, grinning wickedly as she sat beside her wife. "Which is useful because I think I know how we can get Sam to agree to cut his hair."

Mitchie raised her eyebrows. "I'm listening."

"Sam wants his hair long because Justin's is," Alex explained. "He looks up to Justin, sees him as a fatherly figure. But who does he look up to more, see as more of a father figure?"

"His actual father," Mitchie said slowly, starting to get where Alex was going with this.

"Right." Alex nodded. "So we just gotta get Shane to suggest Sam get a haircut, and maybe he'll listen to him."

Mitchie's mouth twitched into a smile as she stared at her wife. "That could work," she said. "God, babe, you're good. I never would have thought of that."

Alex flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Thankfully you have me here to understand the inner workings of an eight-year-old's mind."

"Because your brain is like an eight-year-old's," Mitchie said with a nod.

Alex's jaw fell open and she stared in disbelief at the shit-eating grin that made its way to Mitchie's face. "Wow, listen, I don't have to take this abuse from you," Alex said jokingly. "How about you be nice to me. After all, I'm with child."

"You are," Mitchie said, now smiling fondly at her wife. She placed her hand on Alex's stomach gently. "I'm still shocked we pulled this off."

"I'm not," Alex said as she placed her hand atop Mitchie's. "It's our baby, Mitch. It was meant to be. Every step we've taken since we met has been to get to this moment. The universe brought us together for a reason, and I think it was so we could have the family we were always meant to have."

Mitchie stared at her and pulled her hand away from Alex's stomach, lacing their fingers together instead. "That's sweet, but the universe is completely random." She shook her head slightly.

"Maybe not," Alex said with a shrug. "Maybe it was written in the stars that this was all supposed to happen."

"And maybe your pregnancy brain is kicking in early," Mitchie joked. "I can't wait 'til all the other side effects kick in: mood swings, cravings… Oh, and let's not forget hormones making you crazy horny." She smirked. "I mean more than usual."

"You mean I'm gonna get worse?" she questioned, tilting her head slightly and looking at her wife. "We didn't have sex until after Sam was born. Were you horny and I just didn't know about it?"

"Alex, I tried to have sex with you on the first day we got together, and you turned me down," Mitchie said, bumping her shoulder against the Latina's.

"You know what, I was sixteen, I'd never had a girlfriend before, and I was a virgin. We'd been dating for two hours, give me a break." She pouted.

"I'm not saying it's a bad thing," Mitchie said with a laugh. "I'm actually glad you turned me down and that we waited. It made it more special. I've always found it a little endearing." She smiled and squeezed her hand. "My point was that you were aware. At least one of those times."

"There were others?" Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah," Mitchie said with a nod. "But we'd decided to wait until I wasn't pregnant anymore." She shrugged. "So I did nothing about it, and it was kind of torture, not gonna lie."

"You should have just masturbated," Alex said, laughing slightly. "Why do I have to keep telling people this?"

"It's not something girls figure out as easily as boys, with the exception of you, obviously," Mitchie said. "Besides, when did I have the time? I was either always with my parents, or you, mostly you. I mean, you slept over the majority of our relationship, even if my parents didn't know about it. What was I supposed to do, just go at it with you sleeping beside me?"

"You could have talked to me about it," Alex suggested. "Explained to me about the hormones. I'm sure we could have figured something out."

"Well, that doesn't do me any good now, dumbass." She grinned mischievously. "I have half a mind not to give you sex when it happens to you now."

Alex shrugged. "That's a punishment for you as well, so go for it." She smirked. "I don't need you anyway. I have the removable showerhead, remember?"

"I forgot about that fucking thing." Mitchie shook her head.

"So I take it you haven't tried it yet?" Alex asked, eyebrows raised.

"No…"

Alex leaned forward to whisper in Mitchie ear, "Want me to show you how?"

Mitchie shivered. "My parents are here," she muttered and bit her lip.

"They're occupied, and so is Sam." Alex placed her hand on the inside of Mitchie's thigh. "We can play music, and you know we can be quiet if we have to." She bit down on Mitchie's ear, feeling her wife shake in response as tingles ran up her spine.

Mitchie responded by pulling away from Alex and standing up. She hurried to the kitchen, pausing in the doorway. Sam and Connie looked up from the chapter they were reading in his science book.

"Alex and I are gonna go take a shower," she said quickly and slightly breathlessly.

"Together?" Connie asked, raising her eyebrows.

Mitchie felt her cheeks flush. "Yeah, you know, water conservation and all that."

Connie eyed her, a small, knowing smile on her lips. "Sure. Whatever you say. I'll hold down the fort here. Have fun."

"Thanks, Mom," she said with an appreciative smile. She turned and ran back to the living room, where Alex was sitting on the couch with a confused expression. "Come on," she said before grabbing her wife's hand and pulling her up. She led them out the living room and to the stairs, climbing them quickly. "Okay, so Mom totally knows what we're up to, but I'm kind of fine with that."

"Why did you tell her?" Alex laughed as they got to their bedroom. She shut and locked the door behind them.

"In case they finished homework and wondered where we went," Mitchie explained. She pulled Alex into the bathroom, closing the door with her foot.

"For the record, I don't care if your mom know what we're doing," Alex said with a smirk as she pulled her phone from her pocket and started blasting music, setting it on the counter. "We're adults, this is our house, and we're married. We can do whatever the hell we want."

"I plan to," Mitchie said, casting a sultry glance at her wife. She went over to the shower and turned the nozzles.

"Not too hot," Alex said, stepping behind Mitchie and nuzzling her nose into the back of her neck.

Mitchie turned to her wife, standing so close their noses brushed together. Mitchie could feel cool wisps of Alex's breath against her lips. She reached up and cupped Alex's face, crashing their lips together. The raven-haired woman wrapped her arms around Mitchie's waist, bringing their bodies together. Mitchie bit down on Alex's lip, and a soft moan emitted from the back of the former wizard's throat.

Alex's hands grasped the hem of Mitchie's shirt, and they parted to take it off. Mitchie followed suit by grabbing Alex's and lifting it over her head. Alex moved forward to capture Mitchie lips, but Mitchie held up a hand to stop her.

"Wait," she said, slightly out of breath. She quickly went over to the closet and grabbed two towels before returning to her wife and dropping them at their feet.

"Good thinking," Alex said with a laugh. "Towels were literally the furthest thing from my mind."

"I had a feeling." Mitchie winked before undoing her pants and shimmying out of them. "Now, are we gonna keep talking, or are we gonna get out asses in the shower?"

Alex mimed zipping her lips before pulling down her basketball shorts and stepping out of them. They removed the rest of their clothing, and Alex tested the water with her hand. She nodded, and they stepped in together.

They stood under the water, letting it run over their bodies and soak their hair. Alex pulled Mitchie to her, kissing her gently at first then expertly gliding her tongue past Mitchie's lips. Mitchie tangled her fingers in Alex's hair and pressed their bodies together as her wife's tongue roamed her mouth.

Mitchie pulled away and smirked at Alex with darkened eyes. She gently pushed the Latina against the shower wall before attaching her lips to the other woman's neck. Mitchie bit down gently, nibbling and sucking at Alex's pulse point. When she pulled away she smiled in satisfaction at the purplish bruise she'd left on Alex's skin. She looked up to meet her gaze for a brief moment before kissing Alex softly.

Mitchie reached up and detached the showerhead from its holder. "Now, how does this work?" she asked with a coy smile.

Alex took it from her. "Here, allow me."

* * *

Afterwards they dressed, each casting glances and smirks at each other as they did so. Alex noticed that Mitchie's legs seemed a little wobbly, and she had to smile to herself. That meant Mitchie had enjoyed herself, not that Alex needed that as confirmation. The beautiful sounds that escaped her wife's lips had been proof enough.

"So?" Alex said as she finished dressing. "How was that?"

Mitchie smiled at her, her cheeks still a little flush. "I gotta say, you weren't kidding. That thing's great." She stepped into her shorts and fastened the button.

"Told you," Alex said. She reached out and tucked her finger into Mitchie's belt loop, pulling her closer. "And we're clean now, too," she muttered against her lips.

"How was it for you?" Mitchie asked. "Better with a partner?"

"No comparison," Alex said. "I think you may have just ruined going solo for me."

"Though I'm sure that won't deter you," Mitchie quipped before pushing Alex away gently. "Come on, let's go see if Mom's started dinner. I hope she has. I'm starved."

"We did work up an appetite." Alex wiggled her eyebrows and went over to the door, unlocking and opening it. She gestured to the doorway. "After you, my lady."

Mitchie shook her head lightly, smiling softly. She began to walk out the room, pausing in the doorway to kiss Alex on the cheek.

"I love you," she told her.

Alex beamed. "I love you."

Mitchie bit her lip and batted her eyes at Alex, then grabbed her wife by the hand to lead them downstairs to dinner.

* * *

 **I really don't know what to say here anymore, so I'm just gonna go...**

 **Until next time**

 **-DF**


	12. There Are No Secrets In Hollywood

**I love this chapter. That is all.**

* * *

Alex and Mitchie went back and forth to doctor's appointments over the next few weeks, wanting to closely monitor everything just to be completely sure everything was okay. They'd been very careful to go relatively unseen, and it miraculously worked until the fifth week. An overexcited woman in the waiting room snapped a picture of them as they were walking in, and it was already all over the internet by the time they were ready to leave. Unfortunately the woman had tweeted it along with the location, so upon exiting they were swarmed by paparazzi, and had to be surrounded by clinic security while they waited for the valet to return with Alex's Lexus.

Alex was fuming as she threw the car in drive and maneuvered into Downtown L.A. traffic. Her hands clutched the wheel tightly and her jaw was tense. Mitchie could tell her wife was freaking out, and that worried her. No matter how soon or late in a pregnancy, stress wasn't good for mom or baby.

"Babe, you need to calm down," Mitchie told her, reaching across the center console to place a hand gently on her arm. "We knew there was always a risk of us getting our photo taken while we were there."

"I know, but it'd been going so well up until this point I was starting to hope maybe it wouldn't," she said with a frustrated sigh. "You know we _have_ to tell Sam now, right? Why aren't you madder about this?"

"Honestly, I'm surprised we've kept it from him this far," Mitchie admitted. "I was completely convinced one of our friends or family was going to accidentally say something." She smirked a little bit. "Kind of hoped so, actually, so we could stop trying to hide our excitement."

Alex rolled her eyes as she eased on the brake at a red light. "Mitch, we agreed to wait to tell him until we were ready, when things looked fine." She sighed heavily through her nose. "Now that choice has been taken from us, when and how to tell our son our family dynamic is about to change. Some stranger in a waiting room took that from us."

"Alex, that's one of the prices of fame," Mitchie said. "It was bound to happen at some point. No Hollywood family is completely unaffected by the media at this point, in some way." She shrugged her shoulders. "When have things ever gone as smoothly as we thought they would?" She quirked an eyebrow.

Alex pursed her lips at her wife briefly before turning her attention back to the road as the light turned green again. "It just sucks, okay?" she muttered.

"I know," Mitchie said softly. She understood where Alex was coming from. She knew her wife's need for control, and now that this slight bit of control had been taken from them the former wizard was panicking. "Let's just pick him up, bring him home, and tell him right away. Get it over with. That way we don't have to worry about him somehow seeing it or hearing it somewhere else."

"Mitchie, it's not even one yet," Alex reminded her with a quick sideways glance.

"I'm surprised you care," the songstress joked. "You sure as hell didn't when we were in school."

"I want Sam to be better than I was," Alex said before grinning. "But I suppose just this once wouldn't hurt."

Mitchie smirked at how easy it was to convince Alex to help their son commit truancy. "Turn left here, then," she said, pointing to the intersection.

"I know where I'm going," Alex scolded, reaching over quickly to poke her wife in the ribs. Mitchie squealed and slapped her on the shoulder in response. "Hey, don't hit the driver," she said through laughter as Mitchie settled on glaring at her with her arms crossed over her chest.

* * *

The lady in the office was confused when they went in to get Sam, but they just said they had a family emergency. Technically it was the truth, if you considered needing to tell their son about his younger sibling before anyone else could an emergency. They certainly did.

Sam was suspicious when he walked into the office with his backpack slung over his shoulder. Mitchie would have thought he'd be beaming because he was happy to get out of class. She put on a smile to show him everything was fine, though he continued to frown, still unsure.

They didn't say anything on the way out of the building. It wasn't until Sam was buckled into his booster seat in the back and Alex and Mitchie were back in the front that the boy finally spoke up.

"Is something wrong?" he asked in a small voice.

Mitchie frowned and turned in her seat to look at him. "Of course not. Why would you think that?"

"I don't know," he mumbled. "You've never picked me up early unless something's wrong. Like when Grandpop died," he said, referring to Shane's father, who had died two years earlier after battling cancer.

"No one's dead," Alex quickly assured him. "And nothing's wrong, okay?"

He looked back and forth between them. "So, why'd you pick me up?" he asked slowly.

Mitchie shared a look with her wife before saying to Sam sweetly, "We'll explain everything when we get home, alright? We promise."

Sam looked like he wanted to say more, but when Mitchie raised her eyebrows at him pointedly he just nodded and looked out the window instead. The singer let out a sigh of relief and she turned in her seat and stared out of the windshield.

* * *

Alex spotted a bakery with a drive-thru on the way home and muttered something about chocolate chip cookies before throwing on her blinker and turning into the parking lot. Mitchie tried biting her lip in an attempt not to laugh. It was nearing the end of week five of Alex's pregnancy, so she wasn't sure if it was cravings or just Alex's sweet tooth, but she had to admit it was adorable how Alex's face lit up as the clerk at the window handed her the bag of cookies she'd ordered.

When they returned home they all sat around the table, each with a glass of milk and a plate of cookies. The treat would normally make Sam smile, but today it only added to his uneasiness. When they broke the news of his grandfather's passing to him they'd taken him for ice cream. What if they lied to him? What if someone was dead?

"So, we wanted to talk to you," Mitchie began slowly as she broke a cookie apart and dunked it in her milk. "We've just been waiting for the right time."

Sam watched as she bit into her cookie. "Okay?" he stared at her for a moment, then turned his attention to Alex.

She reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. "Sam, remember a couple of years ago when you started asking for a little brother or sister?"

"I only asked for a brother, but yes," Sam said, eyeing her suspiciously.

"Well, you might get your wish," Mitchie said with a small smile as he turned his head to look at her with wide eyes. "Sam, Mama's having a baby."

"Really?" he asked in a hushed voice.

"Yep." Alex squeezed his shoulder, and he quickly turned and nearly jumped out of his seat onto her lap. "Careful," she warned as he settled, wrapping his arms around her neck.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" he screamed in Alex's ear, to her displeasure. He pulled back and grinned widely at her. "It's a boy, right?"

"We don't know," Mitchie said. "We don't find out for a few more weeks."

"Oh, so we're finding out now?" Alex asked, quirking an eyebrow as Sam returned to his seat.

Mitchie narrowed her eyes but nodded slowly. "I suppose we could spoil the fun of the big reveal."

"Thank god," Alex said, finally picking up her own cookie now that she felt settled since Sam knew. "Sam, can you believe she didn't want to know if you were a boy or a girl?"

"Yes, Mama, you've told me before." He rolled his eyes and broke his cookie into pieces.

Mitchie laughed at the frown that made its way to Alex's face. Her wife pouted at her briefly before taking a sip of milk. When she pulled her glass away she had a small milk mustache, which only made Mitchie laugh more, and Sam soon joined in.

* * *

Over the next few hours their mentions on all social media platforms were on fire. People had seen the photos of them at the fertility clinic and demanded answers. And while Mitchie and Alex didn't feel like they owed it to anyone to make an announcement, now that the cat was out of the bag they figured they should probably say something.

So the three of them decided to have a little fun with the announcement. First they made a small sign on the computer that said "Big Brother" and printed it out. They snapped a photo of Sam holding it while beaming. Next they made one for Alex that said "I'm pregnant," and one for Mitchie that said "It's my baby." They gave Mitchie's phone to Sam and allowed him to snap the picture as they sat on the couch and held up the signs. Alex wore a faux surprised expression while Mitchie leaned over to kiss her cheek. For the last photo they all huddled in the bathroom. Alex knelt over the toilet pretending to vomit (even though she'd yet to have morning sickness) while Mitchie held the phone out for a selfie, giving a big, cheesy smile and a thumbs up as Sam laughed by her side.

They both posted the photos to their social media accounts and were met with hundreds of likes and comments. Not all of the comments were positive, but they never were. Mitchie and Alex just ignored those as they scrolled past, focusing instead on the love and support from their fans. They were trending on twitter within twenty minutes of posting, and all sorts of entertainment news outlets where running their photos.

Sam insisted on them showing him some of the articles, his eyes lighting up at the attention. Mitchie and Alex tried to keep his life as normal as possible, but with their fame there was no avoiding it. They just hoped they could keep him grounded as he got older instead of allowing him to turn into just another spoiled Hollywood brat… Like Shane used to be.

They sat cuddled on the couch, Sam in between them. They had on a rerun of _The Flash_ , which Sam usually loved, but was ignoring. His attention was locked on the smaller screen in his hands.

"Can I get a twitter?" he asked them, finally looking up from Mitchie's phone.

"No," she told him, reaching out to take the device away from him. Her moved it from her reach, and she gave him a pointed look. "Samuel, give me my phone."

He pouted but handed it back. "I wish I had my own phone."

"You're eight," Alex said. "Who do you have to talk to?"

"My friends," he said, turning to her. "All of them have iPhones."

"No one in second grade needs a thousand-dollar phone," Alex responded.

"We can afford it." He shrugged. "We're rich."

"Right," Mitchie said with a nod. "And we stay that way by not buying things we don't need, like a cellphone second grader."

"What about a cheaper one?" he offered.

"Sam, I said no," Mitchie said, her voice now sterner.

He frowned and hung his head, muttering, "Fine, I'll ask Dad for one."

"Samuel Jacob," Alex said. "No, you will not."

"And we'll tell him to say no if you do," Mitchie added.

"It's not fair!" Sam said loudly before getting up from the couch and stomping from the living room. T-Rex hopped off the armchair and followed.

"What just happened?" Alex asked, baffled. "He was just so happy, like, sixty seconds ago." She frowned and looked to her wife. "Has he forgotten we're giving him the sibling he's been begging for since he understood what a sibling was? How is he not satisfied and overjoyed right now?"

"He'll only be happy if the baby is a boy and he gets a cellphone, apparently." She sighed and leaned back into the cushions. "At least you and I were on the same page about it."

"Well, I mean we have talked about it before." Alex scooted closer and draped her arm over Mitchie's shoulder. "It's ridiculous. Kids don't need phones. _I_ didn't even need a phone when I got one, and I was almost fourteen." She chuckled. "I only got one because Justin did, and then I made my dad get me a better one than his. I got a Razr, and his didn't even have a camera."

"Oh my god, you were one of those cool kids with a Razr?" Mitchie crinkled her nose. "I wanted the pink one, but I ended up getting some cheap thing that was virtually indestructible."

"God, remember flip phone, though?" Alex grinned at the memory. "You had to press several buttons just to type one letter in text."

"That was the worst," Mitchie agreed with a nod. "How did we live? Like, I don't remember what it's like not to be able to Google something whenever I want."

"Now kids are born with miniature computers practically already in the palm of their hands," Alex said, sighing. "Times have changed, babe. We're getting old."

"Yeah, soon Sam's going to be teaching us how to use our phones and computers, like we have to do with our parents." The songstress grinned. "Like when you facetimed your mom to help her set up her new laptop."

"Ugh, that was so annoying." Alex rolled her eyes. "I don't know how to help the woman if she doesn't know where the power button is."

Mitchie laughed loudly, earning a smile from her wife. She reached out and gently placed her hand on Alex's stomach. "No electronics for this one. This one's gonna be a reader, like me. I'm gonna make sure of it."

"Are you kidding?" Alex placed her hand atop Mitchie's looked at her warmly. "Between you and Justin, I think that's a guarantee."

Mitchie beamed at the thought of a child she could introduce to all of her favorite childhood stories, like the _Fudge_ books or the _Ramona_ series. Sam was much more interested in television, movies, and video games. Which was all fine, but she wished he still let her read to him like he used to. Eventually it turned into only Justin who could get Sam to even remotely sit still during a book, only doing so by making funny voices for the characters and making sound effects that made Sam laugh. But even that had died out, and now the only time Sam read was for school, and then it was like pulling teeth trying to get him to do that. No, this child would be immersed in the world of literature from the get-go. If Alex got to share the wizard thing, Mitchie wanted a thing too, and not just music. She wanted to read with her child. It's something she always dreamed of, and if Sam wouldn't let her, then dammit this second child was going to be a reader if it was the last thing she ever did.

* * *

Shane came by Thursday morning to pick up Sam for the weekend and while the boy was upstairs collected his things Alex and Mitchie quickly ushered him into the living room for a chat.

"So, I'm sure you saw the news," Mitchie said with a smile, eyes flicking to Alex.

"It was hard to miss," Shane said with a laugh. "Congrats on becoming the number one trending topic on Twitter, by the way. And on the baby, of course." He smirked at them. "So, I'm guessing Sam knows, too?"

"Yeah," Alex said with a nod. "So you don't have to keep it from him anymore. But we did want to ask if you could do us another favor."

"Okay…?" he raised his eyebrows and glanced back and forth between him.

"Sam wants to grow his hair long like Alex's brother," Mitchie began, explaining. "But it looks awful, and we really want him to cut it. He looks up to you more, so maybe if you suggest he gets a haircut…"

"He'll get one?" Shane asked with a smile. "Sneaky, but it just might work." He nodded and placed his hands on his hips. "Okay. I could use a trim, myself. Maybe he'll agree if I say we can get them together. He's been really agreeable lately."

"At least he is to someone," Mitchie said and groaned. "By the way, if he asks you for a cellphone, please say no."

"What does he need that for?" Shane stared at her. "He's _eight_."

"And apparently he's the only eight-year-old on the planet without a cellphone," Alex chimed in. "And we want it to stay that way."

"No arguments here," Shane said. "I guest hosted an episode of _Catfish_. People can do scary shit with phones."

"Thank you," Mitchie said with a sigh of relief. "I'm so glad all three of us could agree on this."

"Of course we did," Alex said. "You and I always agree, and Shane does whatever we tell him to." She paused, frowning at him. " _Usually_."

"Alex, you and I share the same problem with authority," Shane told her. "That's why Sam's such a little shit sometimes."

"I heard that."

The three adults turned to see Sam standing there with his backpack and suitcase for the weekend.

"Hey, bud," Shane said quickly. "I didn't mean that in a bad way… More like an endearing way. Like, you're such a little rascal. Ya know?"

Sam stared at him for a moment before muttering, "I'll wait by the car."

Shane opened his mouth to say something, but before he could Sam turned on his heel and marched in the other direction. Alex let out a low whistle.

"You just cannot keep your foot out of your mouth, can you?" she said, earning a frown from both Shane and Mitchie.

"Just go talk to him," Mitchie said. "Tell him you love him. That you're sorry you hurt his feelings." She shoved his shoulder. "Go."

"Okay, jeez," he said as he began to walk away.

Mitchie and Alex followed and when they got out to the driveway Shane was helping Sam into his booster seat in the back of Shane's Range Rover. As they got closer they heard Shane rambling an apology.

"—I don't even know why I said that. I didn't it mean the way it came out. Sometimes adults just say stupid things sometimes. I don't know." He sighed as he finished with the last strap. "I love you, okay? And I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. I never want you to feel like I don't like you or something like that." He reached out and smoothed Sam's curls. "All right?"

Sam stared at him for a moment before nodding slowly. "Okay, Dad."

"Good," he said with a relieved sigh. "Now, let's get you to school." He turned to close the door but stopped when he saw Mitchie and Alex standing there watching. He left it open for them to say their goodbyes and hopped in the front seat.

The woman approached the car. Mitchie leaned in and kissed Sam on the cheek, and then Alex evened it out by turning his face and giving him one on the other. He smiled at them and gave a little wave as they closed the door.

As Shane drove away they stayed in the driveway, waving until the car turned onto the street. The paparazzi hadn't left since the news of Alex's pregnancy broke, and they snapped away wildly until Shane's car was out of sight and Mitchie and Alex had retreated back into the house.

When Shane went to pick up Sam from school he had time to think through the way to get Sam to get a haircut while he waited in line. By the time he got to the front and Sam was buckled in and all set to go he thought he had it down.

As they pulled away from the school Shane glanced back at Sam in the rearview. His hair was hanging well past his ears now. Mitchie and Alex were right. He at least needed a trim to make it a little neater.

"Hey, Sam?"

"Hmm?" Sam hummed his response, not looking from the window.

"I really need a haircut, so we're gonna stop somewhere to do that before we head home, okay?" He watched Sam's reaction in the mirror, but the boy's face remained neutral. "Do you want to get one, too?"

"No," Sam said quickly. He turned to look at Shane finally. "I want it long, like Uncle Justin's."

Shane clicked his tongue. "Shame. I was hoping you and I could get the same haircut."

Sam's face softened. "Me and you? The same haircut?" He slowly started to smile. "That could be cool."

"Yeah, I thought so, too," Shane said, trying to make his voice sound full of disappointment. "But if you really want to grow your hair like Justin's—"

"I changed my mind!" Sam said loudly. "I want a haircut like you. Let's do it." He beamed. "We're gonna look so awesome, Dad.

Shane smiled. This had gone been a lot easier than expected. "You bet, Sam Man."

* * *

 **So the "photo" where Alex is over the toilet and Sam and Mitchie are kind of just smiling at the camera was actually one of the first images that flashed through my head when I thought of the premise of this story. It may actually be the thought that sparked this whole idea. So glad I found a place for it in here.**

 **Until next time**

 **-DF**


	13. Control

**Disney owns all characters from _Wizards of Waverly Place_ and _Camp Rock._**

* * *

The morning sickness started around week seven. The alarm went off, and as Mitchie silenced it Alex stirred and sat up. Instantly a wave of nausea hit her, and she bolted from the bed. She hardly made it to the toilet before her stomach started emptying its contents. Mitchie was there in an instant, scooping up Alex's hair to hold it back with one hand and rubbing small, soothing circles on Alex's back with the other.

"Shh, it's okay, baby. Let it out," she said in a comforting manner as Alex continued to retch into the toilet. "I've got you."

Alex finished and groaned, moving from her kneeling position to sit on the tile. Mitchie's hand never left her back, tracing patterns on the fabric of her shirt. She grabbed some toilet paper and used it to clean her face, throwing it in the toilet after and flushing it and the sick down.

"That was awful," she said in a hoarse voice, her throat feeling like sandpaper. She spit into the toilet before wobbly trying to stand. Mitchie helped to steady her and walked her over to the sink. "How often does that usually happen?" she asked before turning on the faucet. She used the cup on the counter to rinse out her mouth and spit the mouthful into the sink.

"Depends," Mitchie said, handing her the washcloth, which Alex took and used to dry her face. "Some weeks it would only happen once or twice, sometimes it was every day."

Alex frowned at the answer. "And how long do they last?"

"About a month or two," Mitchie said, to which Alex threw her head back and let out a groan.

"I _cannot_ do another two months of getting sick," she said. "Is there any way to stop morning sickness?"

"I'm afraid not." The songstress frowned.

Alex opened her mouth to complain again, but promptly shut it when her stomach lurched once more. "Oh no," she said, covering her mouth with her hand as she darted for the toilet again.

Mitchie quickly grabbed a hair tie off the bathroom counter and went to her wife. She tied Alex's hair back for her as she went for round two of upchucking. Mitchie was thankful her stomach had become strong over the years of taking care of Sam and Alex when they were sick. The first time Sam had a virus she'd nearly puked herself every time he did. But over the years she had built up an immunity to vomiting at the sight of vomit. Alex still had a little trouble, though.

When nothing else would come up and Alex finally stopped dry-heaving Mitchie went over to the sink and wet a washcloth. She brought it back to where Alex still knelt and bent down to help her clean her face. Alex had snot dripping from her nose and tear tracks marking her face. She looked pitiful, and Mitchie's heart broke slightly.

"I'm sorry you're going through this," Mitchie said softly as she swept a few stray strands of hair from her wife's face. "I remember what it was like. I just hoped it would be easier for you." She frowned and looked down. "Maybe I should have carried the baby after all. At least I knew what I'd be getting into."

"Mitchie, no," Alex said quickly. "I wanted to do this. I'm happy I'm doing this." She slowly stood, her wife following suit. "I knew I'd probably get sick. I know I'm going to have to pee, like, a billion times a day because I remember you always having to."

"I think Sam used to kick me in the bladder," Mitchie said with a defensive pout.

"I'm sure he did," Alex said, laughing. "Point is, I knew. I knew because I was there for you for the majority of it."

Mitchie smiled a little bit. Alex was right. She'd been amazing through the end of her pregnancy. "You weren't there when I had morning sickness, though," she said. "We hadn't met yet."

"I remember you puking within the first five minutes of us meeting," Alex said with a smirk, before frowning slightly. "I'm sorry I didn't do anything to help you then, like hold your hair back or comfort you."

"You didn't know me yet," Mitchie said. "It would have been weird if you had."

"Still," Alex insisted as she went over to the sink.

Mitchie sighed and went over as well. "I got good at holding my own hair back. Most nights I went to sleep with my hair up just so it would be easier in the mornings."

Alex stared at her for a moment. "That sounds so miserable."

"It was," Mitchie said with a nod. "And I never felt more alone in my entire life. But within a few short months you made me stop fearing the future as a teen mother and actually start to look forward to it." She set the washcloth down and took her wife's hand. "You've always made me feel safe and loved. I've never felt alone in the past eight years, not once. And you're the reason for that. So I'm going to be by your side, every morning, rubbing your back and whispering soothingly to you, for however long it takes for this to pass."

Alex stared at her in awe, suddenly wanting to kiss her. But the bad taste in her mouth reminded her that she probably shouldn't. So, she quickly dropped Mitchie's hand and grabbed her toothbrush. Mitchie stared at her questioningly at first, then grabbed her own. They both brushed their teeth, Alex making sure to scrub her tongue to get every last trace of vomit off her breath. They spit into the sink, and Alex took a swig from the cup of water left on the counter before handing it to Mitchie. Once their mouths were rinsed and they'd cleaned out the sink Alex swiftly wrapped her arms around Mitchie's waist.

"You're perfect," Alex said sweetly before leaning forward and capturing Mitchie's lips with her own.

* * *

Alex couldn't stand to be in the kitchen while Mitchie cooked breakfast. As soon as the bacon hit the pan the smell caused her stomach to do a little flip. Luckily it passed as soon as she exited to the living room, but it dispersed any kind of appetite she had. As she sat on the couch she became slightly upset at the fact that one of her favorite foods had caused this. She usually _loved_ the smell of bacon, and it made her mouth water. Today it made her want to hurl.

A little while later Mitchie appeared with a plate of lightly buttered toast and a glass of water. She sat beside Alex on the couch and put the plate in her lap then set the water on the coffee table.

"I'm not hungry," Alex said, staring down at the toast with disdain.

"Those are words I never thought I'd here you say," Mitchie said with a small, almost amused smile. "But you need to try to eat something. There's nothing in your stomach, and that's not good for you or baby."

"Okay," Alex relented, lifting the toast to her mouth and biting into it.

Sam came into the room, wiping sleep from his eyes. His hair was shorter since Shane had brought him to get it cut, his curls almost unnoticeable. But in the two weeks that had passed it had started to grow out a little, and they were coming back. Especially before he brushed it, like at the moment, when he first woke up. Small curls stuck out at odd angles, and Mitchie smiled as she noticed this. T-Rex, who was, as always, at Sam's side smelled the food and instantly ran to the kitchen.

"Morning, baby," Mitchie said from the couch. "Breakfast is on the table."

He nodded and started crossing the room, pausing when he realized his mothers weren't following. "Aren't you coming?" he asked.

"I'll be there in a minute," Mitchie said. "Just go start eating so you can get ready for school."

He stared at her for a moment before heading into the kitchen. Mitchie turned to Alex, reaching out and brushing her wife's hair over her shoulder.

"You good?" she asked softly.

"Yeah," Alex said around another mouthful of toast. "Go eat with him. I'll stay here and finish this."

"Okay." Mitchie leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on Alex's cheek before standing and going to join Sam.

When she entered the kitchen, he looked up from buttering his toast and frowned. "Where's Mama?"

"She's not feeling well," Mitchie explained as she sat down. "The baby's causing her tummy to be a little upset."

He paused, worry crossing his features. "Is something wrong?"

"No, honey," Mitchie said quickly. "It's completely normal. It's just what happens during the first few months of pregnancy. She's probably going to be sick in the mornings for a few weeks." She looked at him softly and reached out to take his hand. "Remember when we took the picture in front of the toilet, and Mama pretended to be throwing up?"

"Yeah, I didn't get that, I just thought it was funny," Sam said with a small frown.

"Well, that's why," Mitchie said. "She's fine, the baby's fine. I promise. She's just going to have morning sickness for a little while. And if it happens around you I don't want you to be scared." She squeezed his hand before letting go. "Okay?"

"Okay," Sam said, nodding slowly. He looked at her questioningly. "Did you get sick when you were pregnant with me?"

"All the time," Mitchie said with a small chuckle.

He frowned deeply. "I'm sorry, Mommy."

"Sam, it's not your fault," Mitchie said seriously. "It was all worth it. Wanna know why?"

"Why?"

"Because I got you in the end," she said, smiling gently. "And being your mom has been my greatest joy." She leaned across the table and kissed the crown of his head. "I love you," she said into his hair before pulling away.

He beamed at her. "I love you, too."

Mitchie bit her lip, fighting not to let her eyes go misty. "Come on, eat your breakfast now."

He nodded and picked up his toast. Mitchie watched him as he ate, her heart swelling with love.

* * *

Shane had never been able to bring himself to destroy the camera. He tried to. He got close so many times. He had knelt before his fireplace with the camera in his hands as he watched the flames dance. He'd stood over it in his backyard, clenching a bat and staring down at the device. He'd even stood over his pool with his hand poised out in front of him, but had been unable to drop it in.

Something just didn't feel right about it. He knew he should do it, but for some reason he kept holding onto the video. He couldn't even figure out why, until one day something clicked for him. By this time, he'd known about the camera for a month, and its existence had been causing him to lose sleep.

But he thought he finally had it figured out. There was something else he needed to do with the camera. Something good for once. So, he did some digging, and he got the information he needed.

It took him a couple of days to build courage, but one Wednesday afternoon he found himself in his Range Rover, following his GPS to the address he'd collected. His heart hammered in his chest as he turned into the driveway of a beautiful, yet modest Beverly Hills home. Thankfully there was no security gate, because he didn't think he'd be let in if there was, and then his plan would be screwed.

He parked and got out of the vehicle with shaky legs. A brown paper bag was clutched tightly in his hand, and he held it to his side as he walked to the door. He took a deep breath before pushing the doorbell. From inside he heard a hollow, long ding fill the home.

Through the frosted glass he saw a figure appear, and the door opened a moment later. Tess stood there, immediately freezing upon seeing Shane standing before her. Her face drained of color, and she seemed to have stopped breathing. When her brain regained control of her body and the initial shock wore off her lips instantly slipped into a frown.

"You have some fucking nerve," she said with a low growl and attempted to close the door.

"Tess, wait," he said quickly, catching it before she had a chance to shut it completely. "Please just give me one second."

"Why should I?" She glared at him. "Give me one reason for not calling the cops right now. How do you even know where I live? Are you stalking me? Do I need to get a restraining order?" She crossed her arms over her chest. "Actually, maybe I should call the cops."

"Please don't," he said quickly. "I googled you and found an article about your mom going to your wedding. I saw your husband's name and found it in the phonebook, and thankfully he's the only Winston Calloway, Jr. in the area."

"That definitely sounds like stalking to me," she said, frown deepening. "He's here, and he would love to kick your ass. I'd also love to see that. Shall I go get him?" She raised her eyebrows.

"No," he said and thrust out the paper bag. "I just wanted to give you this, okay?"

She stared at it but didn't take it. "What is it?"

He continued to hold it out. "Just… take it."

Tess hesitantly extended a shaky hand and took the bag from him. She looked inside, eyes growing wide in horror at what lay inside. She stepped outside and closed the door behind her so her husband and children wouldn't overhear from the living room.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" she snarled at him with disgust. "Why would you give me this stupid fucking camera? Did you really go through all the trouble to find me just to torture me all over again?"

"That wasn't my intention." He held up his hands and backed away as Tess advanced on him. "I thought you would be happy."

"Happy? How in the hell would this make me happy?" She held up the bag, resisting the urge to throw it at him.

"Because, Tess, that's the last copy." He stopped backing up as Tess froze. "I destroyed all the others after we told everyone about Sam. Or at least I thought I had. I found that in my attic not long ago, and I meant to destroy it." He shrugged and looked to her pointedly. "But I thought I should let you do that instead."

She lowered the bag, staring at it blankly. "Me?"

Shane nodded. "I know I put you through a lot, and I'm so incredibly sorry. I can't take it back, fix it, or get you to accept my apology. But hopefully I can give you some sense of control over your life by giving you that camera." He swallowed, his mouth suddenly feeling dry. "I just want this to finally be over, for both of us."

She looked up to him, her eyes wet. "Thank you," she said softly. She didn't forgive him. She didn't think she ever could. But she could appreciate the gesture. And hopefully he was right, and that she could finally begin to move on and not have this hovering over her like a dark cloud for the rest of her life.

"You're welcome," Shane said. He sighed and pulled his keys from his pocket. "Thanks for hearing me out. I'll try to stay out of your life from now on. I hope you find some peace now."

Tess didn't say anything, couldn't past the lump in her throat. Instead she just nodded and turned to head back into the house.

She immediately went upstairs and put the camera in her underwear drawer. She wanted to destroy it, but she knew Kylie would ask questions, and that was something she didn't want to explain to her step-daughter. Her husband knew about the tape, as he was the one who paid for her therapy and she'd learned to trust him enough not to keep secrets from him.

When she returned to the living room Winston looked up from his spot on the floor. He was having an imaginary tea party with Kylie, and their infant daughter, Lydia, sat on his lap chewing on a teething ring. She regarded the scene with a smile, admiring her husband's ability to push his masculinity aside when it came to appeasing his eldest daughter. She went over and sat beside him on the floor, leaning over and placing a kiss on his cheek.

"Who was at the door?" he asked.

Tess shook her head. "I'll tell you later." She ran a hand through his short, dark brown hair and placed another kiss upon his face, this time on his slightly crooked nose. He'd told her that he'd broken it playing basketball in high school and sometimes thought about getting plastic surgery to get it fixed. But she begged him not to. It was a part of him, and she loved it, thought it made him look rugged.

"Want some tea, Tess?" Kylie asked, holding up the tiny plastic kettle.

"Please," she said, grabbing one of the cups and holding it out eagerly. Kylie poured her a fake cup of tea, then one for her father, and one for herself.

They all held up their pinkies and pretended to sip. Tess watched Kylie lovingly, seeing bits of Winston in her. His dark hair, bright eyes, and dimples. Kylie wasn't her biological daughter, but she found it impossible not to love the girl like her own. Because she was a part of Winston, and she couldn't not love a part of him.

* * *

Later that night after Kylie and Lydia were in bed Tess finally got the camera from the drawer in her bedroom. She brought it downstairs and took it out of the bag, setting it on the table in front of Winston. He stared at it curiously before gazing at her questioningly.

"Shane Gray stopped by this afternoon," she explained. "Gave me that. Said it was the last copy of the blackmail tape."

Winston was instantly standing from his chair and grabbing the camera. "Why didn't you come get me?" he demanded, jaw suddenly tense.

"I didn't want you killing him in front of the girls," Tess said. "Do you want them in therapy, too?"

"No," he said with a sigh. "What about you? Do you need to call your therapist?" He set the camera down again and took her in his arms.

"I think I'm fine," she said and rested her hands on the sides of his face, his stubble prickling her palms. "But I could use some help destroying it."

He nodded and took her hands from his face. "Come on." He let one of her hands go and with the free one grabbed the camera.

He led her out through the door to the garage and flipped the switch to open the door. As the door opened he took Tess's car keys from the hook and handed them to her. She looked at him curiously but went around to the driver's side and got in her car. Winston walked out onto the driveway from the open door and lined himself up with the car. He placed the camera on the ground and backed away as Tess started the car.

"Okay, come on straight back, baby," he called.

She put the car in reverse and slowly started backing up, using the backup camera beneath her dashboard for guidance.

"Yeah, just like that. Keep coming," Winston continued, encouraging her.

A satisfying crunch was heard as the tire crushed the camera, and Winston let out a whistle to let Tess know to stop. She put the car in drive and pulled back into the garage and parked. When she got out and went to the driveway Winston was standing over the demolished camera with a wide smile. Tess wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his broad chest.

"It's over," she said, her voice muffled by the fabric of his shirt. "It's finally over."

* * *

 **Sorry for the Tess-heavy chapter. Next chapter is ALL Mitchie and Alex, and it's... Well, you'll see...**

 **Until next time,**

 **-DF**


	14. Cravings

**Disney owns the shows this story is based on.**

 **This is your adult content warning. Proceed with caution.**

* * *

Alex got morning sickness nearly every morning immediately when she woke up for three weeks straight. It was like the alarm clock triggered it, and the moment the stupid device started blaring Alex was up and out of bed. Mitchie was always right on her heels, never leaving her side as promised.

She felt so bad for Alex. She could see how much it strained her every morning. One Saturday morning when it was particularly bad Alex couldn't even go downstairs for breakfast. Mitchie tucked her back into bed with a trashcan by the bed. Thankfully Sam was with Shane, so there was no need for her to go downstairs to start cooking or anything of the sort. She didn't even need to take T-Rex out because they'd started allowing Sam to take him with him over to Shane's.

So, she crawled back into bed with her wife. Alex lay on her side, facing away from Mitchie so she could lean over the side of the bed and puke into the trash can if need be. Mitchie scooted close to her and wrapped her arms around Alex's waist, drawing her close. Usually Alex was the big spoon, but every now and then they reversed roles.

Mitchie nuzzled her nose against the exposed skin of Alex's neck, inhaling the familiar scent that both calmed her and drove her wild.

"You don't have to stay in bed with me," Alex said in a hoarse, weak voice.

"I want to," Mitchie insisted. "Besides, if you need something I'm right here."

"I think it's passing," Alex said. "I just feel so drained, like my whole body's filled with lead."

"Pregnancy can wipe you out," Mitchie said and placed her hand under Alex's shirt, on her stomach, and rubbed it in small, soothing circles. "See if can try to go back to sleep."

"You're not going to force me to try to eat something like every other morning?"

"No," Mitchie said. "Sleep for now. We can eat when you wake up."

"You're not going to sleep?" Alex asked.

"Maybe. For now I'm content to just lie with you." Mitchie kissed Alex quickly on the back of the neck. "Don't worry about me. Sleep."

"Okay," Alex said in a soft voice. "Love you."

"Love you."

* * *

Mitchie must have been tired as well and must have fallen asleep not long after Alex because the next thing she knew she was being jerked awake as Alex jumped on the bed. She groggily sat up to see her wife beaming at her, which was a change.

"You look better," Mitchie said with a yawn.

"I feel worlds better," Alex said brightly. "You were right, I just needed to sleep some more." She leaned forward and kissed Mitchie quickly, her breath minty fresh from just having brushed her teeth. "Good morning… Or should I say, afternoon."

Mitchie frowned and looked to the clock to discover it was well past noon. "Well, damn. Look at that. We slept half the day away."

"We missed breakfast," Alex said. "Which reminds me. I'm _starved._ " She jumped down from the bed. "What should we cook for lunch? Tacos? Pizza? Spaghetti? All of the above?"

Mitchie rubbed sleep from her eyes as she got out of bed as well. "I'm sure we'll figure something out."

Alex nodded and grabbed her by the hand, leading her from the bedroom. Mitchie followed, still trying to wake up. It seemed that while going back to sleep had helped Alex, it didn't do her any favors. She was more tired now than when she'd originally woken up. She almost felt jet-lagged.

The first thing she did when they got to the kitchen was start a pot of coffee. Alex had to cut back on it because of the pregnancy, so Mitchie just made enough for her. While Mitchie did that Alex went into the fridge and opened it.

"What are you in the mood for?" she asked as she stuck her head inside.

"Whatever," Mitchie said with a yawn.

Alex took out the carton of eggs, followed by a package of ground beef, pickles, an onion, and a cup of yoghurt. Mitchie watched as she put the items on the counter, then went back in the fridge for more.

"What the hell are you making?" Mitchie asked, walking over and picking up the jar of pickles and looking to Alex questioningly.

"I don't know," Alex said as she placed a pack of shredded cheese and the package of bacon on the counter. "It all just looks so good. I can't decide." Mitchie stared at her for a moment before throwing her head back and laughing. Alex's jaw dropped, and her cheeks went pink. "What?" she demanded of her still-chortling wife.

"Looks like someone got her cravings," Mitchie said between giggles.

"Oh," Alex said, eyes going wide as she turned her attention to all the food she'd placed out. "Is that why I want to put bacon in my yoghurt?" she asked, picking up the pack of meat.

"Oh my god, please don't," Mitchie said. "I put pickles in hot chocolate, and while it tasted good then the thought of the taste now just makes me want to hurl."

"I never even thought about hot chocolate!" Alex immediately went over to the cabinet to get out a pack.

"Alex, no!" Mitchie rushed over and stopped her. "Come on. You already got out the ground beef. Let's just make tacos."

"Okay," Alex said dejectedly, putting the box of hot chocolate back in the pantry and instead taking out the box of taco shells. "Isn't this what you craved the most when you were pregnant with Sam?"

"Yup," Mitchie said, taking the box from Alex and going back to the spread she'd set out. "My mom craved them when she was pregnant with me, too. I think that's why they're my favorite food." She grabbed the eggs and yoghurt and put them back in the fridge.

"Weird. My mom craved French fries when she was pregnant with me, and you know how much I love French fries," Alex said. Her eyes lit up. "Ooh. French fries. That's what we should have with the tacos."

"Those two foods do not go together," Mitchie told her. "But if it'll make you happy, fine." She went back in the fridge and got out the bag of potatoes. "It's weird that we both love the foods our moms craved when they were pregnant with us."

"I know. I wonder if there's been studies on this," Alex mused as she pulled a cutting board from one of the cabinets.

"There should be, because Sam loves tacos too." Mitchie shrugged and opened a drawer to take out a knife. "Can't just be a coincidence."

"Well, French fries and tacos are both widely loved foods. It totally could be just a coincidence." Alex handed her the onion.

Mitchie laughed as she took it. "I guess we'll see when the baby gets older and starts eating real food. Until then, it's just a pregnancy conspiracy theory."

* * *

At three a.m. Mitchie woke up to the sound of thunder. Rain thudded on the roof, and she could hear the wind howling outside. It didn't rain often in L.A., but when it did, it poured. She turned over to reach out to Alex, finding it odd her arms weren't already around her. Her hand landed on the mattress, and Mitchie opened her eyes to discover she was alone in bed.

She sat up immediately, but Alex was nowhere in sight. Mitchie groaned as she threw off the covers and got out of bed. She could smell frying food the moment she got to the foot of the stairs.

The light was already on in the kitchen, and when she entered she saw Alex standing over the stove. A pot of French fries was sizzling, and she was staring into it intently. She looked up when Mitchie came to stand by her side, smiling sheepishly.

"Alex, it's three a.m.," Mitchie told her in a groggy voice.

"I know," Alex said. "I just woke up when it started raining and couldn't go back to sleep. I couldn't stop thinking about French fries."

Mitchie chuckled lightly and rested her forehead on her wife's shoulder. "Yeah, I think this is going to be your pregnancy food."

"I'm fine with that," Alex said with a smirk. "Go back to bed, love. I'll come back as soon as I'm done here."

"No, I'll wait for you," Mitchie said, lifting her head. "I sleep better when you're next to me."

Alex nodded, and Mitchie went over to the table and sat at one of the chairs. She rested her arms atop the table and buried her face in them. Alex smiled softly as she watched her before turning her attention back to the fries.

When they were done she took them out, let them rest and cool, then lightly salted them. She went over to the table with the plate and sat beside Mitchie. Small snores were coming from her wife's sleeping form, slumped over the table. Alex kissed her on top of the head quickly before turning her attention to her plate of fries.

After she finished she put the dish in the sink and washed her hands. Next she emptied the grease into an old container and rinsed out the pot. She could wash those in the morning. Then she went over and gently shook Mitchie awake. Normally she would have just tried to carry her to bed, but she didn't want to risk straining herself in her condition.

Mitchie lifted her head and looked to Alex groggily. Alex helped her to her feet and together they made their way upstairs and back into bed. As soon as they settled under the blankets Mitchie wrapped her arms around Alex's waist, resting her head on the other woman's chest.

Alex's hand found its way up the back of Mitchie shirt, and she brushed her fingertips over her skin, tracing small patterns. The songstress was asleep almost instantly. The sound of her deep breathing calmed Alex, and soon she was asleep as well.

* * *

The next morning Alex woke up first. She opened her eyes and sat up slowly, untangling herself from Mitchie. She waited for the usual wave of nausea to hit her, but it didn't. Her stomach was settled, and she actually felt fine. She waited a few more moments, but still nothing happened.

A huge smile made its way to her face and she silently pumped a fist triumphantly. She felt on top of the world. She looked down to see Mitchie still sleeping beside her. Her lips were slightly parted as she slept, her chest rising and falling with each slumbered breath. Alex continued to smile, thinking back to earlier that morning when Mitchie got up with her in the midst of her late-night snacking.

Mitchie didn't have to stay with her downstairs. She had every reason and opportunity to go back upstairs and go back to sleep. But she chose to stay with Alex, and that was so incredibly sweet to the Latina. Mitchie really hadn't left her side through all of it. Not a single morning had Alex been in that bathroom alone during morning sickness. Mitchie was always right there, rubbing her back as promised.

She felt overwhelmed with love for her wife. She laid back and rested her elbow on her pillow, resting her head in her palm to prop it up. She reached out her free hand and raked her fingers through Mitchie's hair. Eyelids fluttered open, and Mitchie's mouth twitched into a smile as she saw Alex looking down at her.

"Good morning," she said in a tired voice as she mirrored Alex's resting position. "How are you feeling?"

"Great," Alex said brightly. "I don't feel sick at all."

"That's good," Mitchie said. "Maybe it's finally passing."

"Hopefully," Alex said. "And thankfully, that means maybe we can actually enjoy our morning."

She smirked at her wife, and before Mitchie could question it, Alex leaned forward and kissed her. Mitchie leaned back on the bed, Alex resting on top of her. The kiss was slow and soft at first before Alex hungrily picked up the pace. She slid her tongue into Mitchie's mouth as a fire spread through the pit of her stomach and settled between her legs. She suddenly needed much more, and she broke their kiss only to trail her lips down the side of Mitchie's jaw to her neck.

"Al," Mitchie said, and she bit her lip slightly as Alex's lips got to her ear.

"I want you," Alex whispered breathily.

Mitchie shivered as she felt Alex begin to nibble on her earlobe. She put her hands on Alex's shoulders and pushed her away gently. Alex frowned slightly at first, until Mitchie grabbed the hem of the former wizard's shirt and lifted it. Alex's smile returned, and Mitchie sent her one back as the garment was discarded on the floor. Alex quickly did the same to Mitchie's, and it joined Alex's on the ground.

Alex kissed Mitchie again briefly before trailing down her neck, all the way to her chest. As she took one of the firm breasts in her mouth her hands went to the elastic of Mitchie's shorts. Mitchie panted as Alex's mouth trailed lower, all the while taking off her pants and underwear. She grabbed Alex's hand and stopped her right before her head dipped lower. Instead she pulled her to her for another searing kiss.

She used her weight to flip them over, lying flat on top of Alex. She brought her hands up between their bodies and squeezed Alex's breasts gently. Alex hissed as tingles went through her body. Her boobs were always sensitive, but never _this_ much. It only added to the heat between her legs.

Mitchie broke the kiss finally and moved further down Alex's body.

"These are gonna have to go," Mitchie said, fingering the waistband of Alex's pajama bottoms.

Alex licked her lips before biting the bottom one and slid them down along with her underwear. Mitchie settled herself between Alex's legs and brought her mouth to her wife's center.

Alex's eyes rolled back in her head, and she closed them as she rested her head on the pillow. The intense waves of pleasure traveling up her body caused her to shake slightly. Incredibly quick she felt the pressure build before her back arched off the bed and she cried out, shuddering. Her vision went white, and it felt like she melted. But Mitchie didn't stop, and she came again, her toes curling and hands clutching the sheets.

Mitchie ceased her mouth's movements and crawled up Alex's body. She rested herself on top of the heavy-breathing woman, nuzzling her nose in the crook of her neck. Alex wrapped her arms around Mitchie and kissed her bare shoulder.

They lay like that for a while until Alex's breathing returned to normal. Mitchie sat up, now straddling her wife, smiling down at her. Alex placed her hands on either side of Mitchie's waist and beamed back up at her. She bit her lip as she slid a hand lower, and Mitchie hissed as Alex's fingers found her wetness.

Alex pumped her fingers and Mitchie bucked her hips in time with her until she hit her limit. Alex felt her walls tighten around her digits, and then Mitchie was screaming her name, a beautiful sight hovering above her.

When she finished Mitchie collapsed on top of Alex, sweaty and spent. Alex removed her hand and brought it to her mouth, licking her figners clean. Mitchie rested her forehead atop Alex's, and they both closed their eyes as they tried to regain control of their breathing.

Alex brought her hands to Mitchie's face and cupped it gently. Mitchie opened her eyes to see Alex gazing up at her lovingly, wearing a lopsided smile.

"Where did that come from?" Mitchie asked, still slightly breathless.

"I don't know," Alex admitted. "I just all of a sudden wanted you."

Mitchie let out a small laugh. "I think I have an idea," she said. "Morning sickness, cravings, now randomly getting horny right when you wake up? This has pregnancy hormones written all over it."

"Whatever the reason, I'm not complaining," Alex said, giggling as well. "That was… like, fucking amazing. I came twice."

"I noticed," Mitchie said with a quirked eyebrow and rolled off Alex, resting by her side instead. "Supposedly that's an advantage of pregnancy. Besides making you a horn dog it also makes the sex really good."

Alex smirked. "Good to know." She reached out and took Mitchie's hand. "I am now so sorry we waited until after you had Sam to have sex. Because you missed out, lemme tell you."

Mitchie glared at her playfully. "I'm very jealous. But I'd also like to think _I_ had something to do with the quality of your orgasm, not just your hormones."

"You did, trust me," Alex said quickly. "I promise."

Mitchie smiled and leaned forward to kiss Alex again. Alex still tasted traces of herself left on Mitchie's lips, and heat flooded her again. She didn't know if it was the baby making her go sex-mad, or if it was just her normal self, craving sex like the average teenage boy. But she didn't care. She just knew didn't want to leave that bed anytime soon.

* * *

That night after Sam had gotten back and they had changed the sheets, Sam insisted Alex lay in bed so he could read a book to the baby. Mitchie was taken aback but didn't say anything as she settled next to them in bed.

Sam sat in between them as he read aloud from a _Dr. Seuss_ book. Mitchie smiled as she watched Sam speaking so intently to Alex's stomach, and she caught her wife's eye. They shared excited grins. This was amazing. Sam was already taking his big brother duties seriously. When he finished the book, to Mitchie's amazement he asked if he could read another. Alex and Mitchie immediately agreed, and he ran from the room.

When he returned he was, to Mitchie's utter amazement, holding the first _Harry Potter_ book. He crawled back into the bed and settled under the covers. Mitchie took it from him questioningly.

"Why this one?" she asked. "Not that I mind. I'm just curious."

"I like the movies so much, maybe the book's okay," he said with a shrug.

"They're more than okay, Sam, they're amazing," Mitchie said as she opened it. "How about I read it to you," she offered. "All three of you. I know for a fact Mama hasn't read these."

"Because there are movies," Alex said. "And while mostly historically accurate, I don't need to read a book if there's already movies."

"Hush, we're reading them," Mitchie said.

Alex sighed and flopped down on her pillow but allowed Mitchie to start reading to her. She listened half-heartedly at first, but soon became transfixed by the story. By the end of the first chapter she was the one begging Mitchie to read one more, but Mitchie refused, as they'd already let Sam stay up ten minutes past his bedtime just to read the first one. She smiled at both of their disappointed frowns and promised they could read the second chapter the next day. They both agreed, and Mitchie's heart soared. Maybe she didn't need to force reading on her second child after all. Maybe _Harry Potter_ could do the one thing no other book could do in the past and make both Alex and Sam fall in love with reading. She hoped so, and as she went to sleep that night she couldn't stop the smile that made its way to her face as she looked forward to the next night, to reading with her family again.

* * *

 **I know I've talked about sex a lot so far in this story, danced around it and teased at it. There is a reason I didn't originally want to put a sex scene in this story. It was mainly because when I reread _Sharing A Dream_ I realized I had written (what I felt like was) way too many. I felt it deterred from the actual story and made my writing cheaper, in a way. I didn't want that with this story. But sex is a beautiful, natural part of the human experience, and I think I've learned how to write sex scenes with more taste. Also there's more going on around it. Anyway, thanks for coming to my Ted talk.**

 **Until Next Time.**

 **DF**


	15. Sex Reveal

**This chapter may be a lot less "fun" but I think you all will enjoy it anyway ;)**

* * *

Alex's morning sickness did not end, to her dismay. It did, however, start happening less often. By week thirteen of her pregnancy she only threw up once, and not nearly as much as she had been. By week fourteen she didn't throw up at all, only felt a little queasy every now and then. Every day she got through without puking was a good day in her book.

She had officially entered her second trimester of pregnancy, and they were both able to stop taking the invitro shots. That was another win, Alex felt. She was also starting to show, and though it was June, she wore sweatpants and a sweatshirt around the house because she refused to buy maternity clothes yet. But of course then she complained she was hot.

By week sixteen Mitchie had enough, and while Sam was at school she lured Alex out of the house by promising to take her out for ice cream. The woman was excited, her mind coming up with an endless list of toppings she wanted to get. She frowned, however, when Mitchie unexpectedly put on her blinker and pulled into a parking lot of a maternity clothing store.

"Mitchie," Alex said with a whine as her wife parked the car. "You tricked me."

"No, I told you we're getting ice cream," Mitchie retorted. "And we will… After you buy clothes." She looked to her wife seriously. "It's time, babe."

Alex crossed her arms over her chest and frowned deeply. She chewed on her bottom lip, eyes beginning to well with tears. She turned her head and looked out the window so Mitchie couldn't see.

"You think I'm fat," she said with a sniffle.

"What?" Mitchie asked incredulously. "Alex, no—"

"I'm fat and disgusting, and you don't love me anymore," Alex said, her voice shaky.

" _Alex_ ," Mitchie said, and hooked her fingers under her wife's chin and made her look at her. "I could never not love you or think you're disgusting. I just want you to find clothes that'll fit you and make you comfortable until the baby comes. That's all, I promise."

Alex held her gaze, nodding slowly as she swallowed the lump in her throat. Mitchie used the pads of her thumbs to swipe away Alex's tears. Alex gave her a weak smile, then looked down bashfully.

"I'm sorry, Mitchie," she said. "I don't know what came over me. I just felt sad all of a sudden."

"Pregnancy brain. Don't worry about it," Mitchie said before kissing Alex sweetly on the forehead. "Now, come on. The sooner we buy you clothes the sooner we can get ice cream."

Alex beamed at this, and they got out of the car. They spotted an SUV at the corner with its window down and a camera lens sticking out. Mitchie frowned deeply as she grabbed Alex's hand and they walked inside the building. Typical. They couldn't even go shopping without being followed and photographed.

The shop was small and quaint, but had a variety of options, ranging through all stages of pregnancy. Alex hated shopping with a passion, so it was mostly Mitchie picking out outfits for Alex to try on. It was hard because Alex refused to wear anything pink or with flowers on it, and that seemed to be the most popular design for the majority of maternity wear. She wrinkled her nose at just about every blouse Mitchie held up for her to examine.

"Why can't there be pregnancy plaid?" Alex asked as Mitchie pushed her into the changing room with an armful of clothes she could tolerate.

"It's _June_ ," Mitchie reminded her. "We're trying to find you things that'll keep you cool, not give you heat stroke."

"You're so lucky you were pregnant in the fall and winter," Alex said with a frown. "Being pregnant _and_ hot is miserable."

"Maybe it wouldn't be if you didn't wear such heavy clothes," Mitchie said. "Now stop stalling. Try this shit on."

* * *

Shane came to pick up Sam for his last day of second grade. The boy was excited about the summer ahead, and nearly ran to Shane's car before he'd even parked it. Mitchie and Alex followed him out, Mitchie carrying Sam's duffle for the weekend. Shane hopped out of the car and was greeted with a hug from his son. T-Rex ran out of the house and circled the car, knowing he was going this time, and yipped happily.

"Ready for your last day, little dude?" Shane asked, taking Sam's schoolbag from him.

"So ready," the boy said, beaming. The tooth he'd lost was finally starting to grow back in, somewhat out of place amongst the rest of his baby teeth.

"Well, we better get going, then," he said, opening the back door for Sam to climb into the car.

He helped the boy buckle in while Mitchie popped the hatchback and stowed Sam's duffle in the trunk. When Shane was done with Sam's seatbelt he stood back to allow Alex to hug the boy goodbye. Mitchie came back around and hugged Sam as well, kissing his temple before closing the door.

Shane paused before returning to the driver's seat. "So, I was thinking…"

"Already don't like the sound of this," Alex said uncertainly while frowning.

"Lex," Mitchie chastised, though she smiled softly, before turning her attention back to the father of her son. "Go on."

"Since it's summer, could Sam maybe spend the whole week with me sometimes?" Shane asked, awkwardly switching his weight from foot to foot as the women gazed at him. "I think I've been doing well so far with taking him more, and since he's not going to be in school and I won't have to help him with homework it should be easier."

"You'd think," Mitchie said with a small smirk. "But that just means he's home more. It actually gets harder. You don't get the break during the day. He gets so restless during the summer."

"It's too hot for him to go outside, so he's inside," Alex chimed in. "He gets bored, and then he gets into things. You have to constantly keep your eyes on him, or take him somewhere to do something, like the aquarium or a museum."

"All the more reason for me to take him," Shane said. "It would be so much easier for you. Especially since you're getting bigger, Alex."

"Rude," Alex all but growled.

"I mean, since you're getting more pregnant," Shane said quickly, his face turning bright red. "You look great, just how you're supposed to look. Beautiful. Absolutely glowing. Are those new clothes? They're great… Just great."

Alex rolled her eyes, though she muttered, "Thank you."

Shane let out a sigh of relief. Crisis averted. "Just let me try it. One week. Doesn't even have to be this week. Just think about it."

"Okay, we will," Mitchie said. "We'll give you our decision Sunday. Just get him to school for now. It's his last day, and he hasn't been late all year. We're not starting now."

"Alright, alright," Shane said with a laugh as he got into the Range Rover.

* * *

That evening they got pizza as a special treat for Sam finishing school. He'd gotten almost all A's, and only one B. Shane was so proud he even let Sam have a soda with dinner. They ate in the living room so they could watch TV. They were on the second season of _Smallville_ , and it was getting so good that Shane had to force himself not to watch it without Sam when he was with his moms.

They sat side-by-side on the couch, eating and drinking in silence as Clark Kent fought a shapeshifter who could transform themselves into anyone. T-Rex sat at their feet, watching them eat intently. Somewhere towards the end of the episode Sam finally spoke.

"Moms said they're going to find out what the baby is next week," he announced.

"Oh, yeah?" Shane asked, pausing the show and turning to his son. "So, do you want a little brother or little sister?"

"A brother," Sam said, then frowned slightly. "So I'll probably get a sister."

Shane stared at him for a moment. "You're _eight_. Why are you so cynical?"

"I don't know what that means."

"It's kind of like expecting the worst in things, in people," Shane explained.

"I don't know," Sam said, shrugging.

"Well, whatever the baby is, you're gonna be a great big brother," Shane told him.

"Thanks," Sam said with a small smile, before looking up to Shane. "Hey, Dad?"

"Yeah, bud?"

"How come you never had more kids?" Sam asked innocently.

Shane took in a breath, somewhat caught off guard. It wasn't that he didn't want more children. He loved being a father to Sam, but that was something that just kind of happened. And since then he'd been so careful to make sure he _always_ wore a condom. He didn't want to accidentally bring a child into the world again. He wanted to do it with someone he loved, someone he could grow and build a family with. He just hadn't found that person yet.

"I just haven't met the right woman yet," he said finally. "Until then, you're enough for me. You'll always be enough." He reached out and placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "Okay?"

"Are you sure?" Sam asked in a small voice, not meeting Shane's gaze. "You don't get sick of me sometimes?"

"Of course not," Shane told him forcefully, squeezing his shoulder gently. "Sam, you're my favorite person in the whole world."

"Really?" He looked up to his father hopefully.

"Really," Shane assured him. "Why would you think anything different?"

"I don't know," Sam said with a small sigh and a shrug. "You were weird for a little while a few weeks ago, and I thought you hated me."

Shane thought about it for a moment. "After we went to the park?" Sam nodded, and Shane let out a sigh. "I was just going through something then. It had nothing to do with you." He thought about it for a moment. "Is that why you've been so agreeable and letting me pick everything we do?"

Sam nodded. "I thought if we did what you wanted you'd want to spend more time with me."

"Sam," Shane said, sighing again. "I will always want to spend time with you. I'll never get sick of you. I love you, okay?"

"Okay," Sam said softly. "I love you." He smiled. "Can we watch the show again now?"

"Sure," Shane said, grinning as he pressed the play button on the remote.

* * *

Sunday afternoon Shane brought Sam back to Mitchie and Alex's. When Sam went upstairs to put his stuff in his room, the dog following him up the stairs, the women turned to Shane, who stared at them pointedly.

"Well, have you decided?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

"We have," Alex said, resting her hands atop her rounding belly. "And maybe you taking Sam for a week every now and then isn't such a bad idea."

"Really?" Shane asked, smiling widely.

"Yeah," Mitchie said. "It would actually help us out a lot. We're going to start on the nursery soon since we're finding out the sex Tuesday. It would be easier to not have to worry about Sam through that process."

"He told me you were finding out," Shane said with a grin. "He also said he wants a brother but is expecting a sister."

"He's so negative sometimes," Mitchie said with a small laugh. "He gets the from you," Mitchie said, wrapping an arm around Alex's shoulder and kissing her cheek.

"What do you two want?" Shane asked.

"I want a boy," Alex said, looking down to her stomach fondly.

"I want a girl," Mitchie said, placing her hand atop Alex's on her belly. "But we'll be happy with either." She looked up to Shane. "We're bringing him with us to the doctor to find out. Wanna come grab him on Wednesday and keep him the week?"

"Sure," Shane said with a nod. "Although he might need a bigger suitcase."

"Why don't you just get him some clothes to keep there?" Alex asked. "Could be easier than lugging suitcases back and forth."

"Good idea," Shane said. "I'll take him shopping Wednesday."

"Good luck," Mitchie said, slightly giggling. "He's worse than Alex to get to shop."

"Hopefully it's as easy to convince him as it was to get him to get a haircut," Shane said.

"Worth a shot," Alex said, shrugging. "If not, we'll text you his size and hopefully he won't have to try anything on. That's the real challenge."

"Duly noted," Shane said. "I'm gonna go tell Sam goodbye and tell him the good news," he said before heading to the stairs.

The woman watched him go, and when he disappeared into the hallway Mitchie turned to Alex.

"So, I know you _want_ a boy," Mitchie began, "but what do you _think_ it is?"

"Honestly?" Alex thought about it for a moment. "A girl."

Mitchie laughed slightly. "Weird, because I want a girl, and I think it's a boy."

"I guess we'll find out who's right Tuesday," Alex said with a slight smile.

* * *

Tuesday morning all three of the Torres-Russo clan sat in the clinic, waiting for Dr. Matthews to come in and begin the ultrasound. Alex lay on the exam table, and Mitchie sat in the chair beside her, Sam in her lap. Mitchie and Alex's hands were joined, and when Dr. Matthews entered the room she smiled upon seeing that.

"Well who is this?" she asked with a nod towards Sam.

"Our son, Sam," Mitchie said, using her free hand to smooth out his hair. "Say hi to Dr. Matthews, Sam," she told him.

"Hi," he said shyly.

"Nice to meet you," the doctor said with a gentle smile before turning her attention to the women. "So, are we ready?"

"Been ready," Alex said, squeezing Mitchie's hand.

"Great. Alex, please lift your shirt," Dr. Matthews said as she walked over to the machine and turned it on. Alex did as told, watching as her doctor squirted gel on the end of the transducer, then put some on her stomach. It was cold, and she hissed as Dr. Matthews pressed the transducer to her stomach. She moved it around for a moment, the screen showing nothing but a gray blob. Then, a soft, rhythmic thudding filled the room. "There's the heartbeat," the doctor said, gliding the probe over. "Oh, look, there we are," she said, pointing to a small, humanoid shape on the screen.

"Oh my god," Alex breathed out, her eyes transfixed on the screen.

Mitchie stared at the screen as well, then glanced down to her son. She remembered the first time she saw him through ultrasound. It had been one of the most amazing moments of her life. And now, looking down at him, then to her wife, then back to the screen, she felt her heart swell with happiness.

"You want to know the sex, right?" Dr. Matthew asked, glancing at the family. All three nodded quickly, their eyes not leaving the image of the baby. She smiled softly as she said, "It's a girl."

Mitchie had to stop herself from squealing in excitement. "Really?" she asked instead. "I get a girl?"

"I knew it," Sam and Alex said at the same time.

"I've never been so happy to be wrong," Mitchie said with a small laugh. She looked to the boy in her lap. "What about you? You okay with having a sister instead of a brother?"

Sam thought about it for a moment. "Yeah, I guess," he said. "As long as she likes dinosaurs and video games."

"Girls can like anything boys like," Mitchie said, before looking to Alex. "What about you? I know you wanted a boy."

"I don't care," Alex said, her eyes still fixed on the baby on the screen. "As long as she's healthy." Her eyes finally left the screen, darting to her doctor. "She's healthy, right?"

"She's great," Dr. Matthews assured her. "She's got a strong heartbeat, and she's growing at a normal rate."

"Good," Alex said. "Then I'm happy."

* * *

They called their families immediately to tell them the news. They planned on making an announcement on social media, but they wanted to wait until after they'd told everyone who was important to them. They only called the members of their immediate family the first night. Mitchie was tempted to call Caitlyn and tell her, but the brunette was set to come over the following afternoon to help with the nursery.

Shane was going to pick up Sam in the morning, and afterwards Mitchie and Alex were going to the hardware store to pick up paint. They'd decided on a soft shade of yellow for the nursery, preferring something gender neutral, even if they were having a girl.

What Mitchie didn't tell Caitlyn was that she'd also asked Nate for his help. It would come in handy to have his muscle for the bigger pieces of furniture. The room they were using as the nursery had recently been a guest bedroom. But since their home was so huge they had other rooms that could be used as such. One room Mitchie called her 'library' because it only held a couch and a couple of bookshelves with her collection of books. The bed would be moved to that room, as well as the dresser. They had ordered new furniture online, having gotten rid of Sam's old things when they moved. It was set to be delivered sometime that week. But first they needed to make room for it, and they wanted to paint before putting furniture in the room.

Caitlyn showed up not fifteen minutes after they returned from the hardware store. She let herself in, entering the living room and finding Mitchie and Alex sitting on the couch.

"It's so weird coming in here without T-Rex yelling at me," she said as she sat down with a huff in the armchair.

"'Yelling?'" Mitchie asked, quirking an eyebrow. "You mean barking?"

"Barking is a dog's way of yelling," Caitlyn said with a dismissive hand wave. "So, what's on the agenda today?" she asked.

"Just moving the furniture out of the guest room and into the library," Mitchie said. "And hopefully painting."

"Yes, and what color would that be?" Caitlyn asked with a smirk, knowing Alex and Mitchie had found out the sex the day before. She was surprised she hadn't been told the news yet. Then again, she knew Mitchie liked to tell her things in person.

"Yellow, actually," Alex said, grinning at Caitlyn's sudden frown.

"You're assholes," she said with a groan. "I know you found out the sex. Just tell me already." She looked at them pointedly.

Mitchie smiled broadly, unable to contain it. "We're having a little girl."

"Fuck yeah!" Caitlyn exclaimed. She jumped to her feet and was about to throw her arms around her friends when the doorbell rang. She paused, looking to the seated women questioningly. "Were you expecting someone?"

"Why don't you answer the door and find out?" Mitchie asked coyly.

Caitlyn glared at her suspiciously. "If it's Nate I'm leaving."

"No you're not," Mitchie told her, standing. She held out a hand to Alex, who took it to pull herself up. "We could use his help with the bed. It's heavy. Besides, it'll be nice to have an extra set of hands. I don't want Alex straining herself."

"If I knew being pregnant would get me out of manual labor I would have suggested we have another baby years ago," Alex said, chuckling slightly.

The doorbell rang again, and Caitlyn rolled her eyes. "I swear, Mitchie, if this whole thing is just some big setup to get me and Nate together—"

"It's not," Mitchie said quickly, walking around the couch and pulling Alex with her before Caitlyn could say anything else. The three of them went out to the foyer, and Mitchie could see a figure on the other side of the frosted glass. She opened the door, and Nate stood there, arm resting easily on the doorframe. "Hi," she said with a smile and stood back to let him in.

"Hi yourselves," he said, walking into the house. He paused when he saw Caitlyn standing in the doorway to the living room. "Caitlyn, hi. Mitchie didn't tell me you'd be here."

"Really?" Caitlyn asked, casting a glare at her best friend. "Funny. She failed to mention to me that _you'd_ be here."

"The more the merrier, right?" Mitchie said, smiling widely to ease the tension. "Everything's upstairs," she said, pointing to the stairs. "Shall we?"

"Uh huh," Caitlyn said with an eye roll as she turned and headed towards the stairs. Nate blushed slightly and followed her.

When they'd reached the top Alex turned and whispered to her wife, "You're meddling again, aren't you?"

"Yes, but only because these two idiots obviously like each other and are both too stupid and scared to get together on their own," Mitchie whispered back.

Alex shook her head. "There's no talking you out of this, is there?"

"Nope."

"Well," Alex began with a sigh, "I guess I'll just have to help you, then."

* * *

 **IT'S A GIRL!**

 **I know I tortured you in the first story by waiting until the delivery to reveal the gender, but I decided to be nice this time around.**

 **Until next time.**

 **DF**


	16. Netflix and Chill

**I apologize this took nearly two weeks to update, especially considering I'd been doing it so frequently. Life got a little hectic, and then my only excuse is that I was playing video games. But anywho.**

 **Disney owns the shows this story was based on, but they didn't make it gay enough, so here's me fixing it.**

 **WARNING: I did some world-building and got a little carried away with some str*ight bullshit. I hope you can find a way to enjoy anyway, and I promise not to spend this much time on it ever again.**

* * *

They got to work on removing the furniture from the room. They took the mattress from the bed first, Caitlyn and Mitchie taking one side and Nate taking the other as they carried it down the hall to the other room. After that Nate used Alex's tools to take apart the frame. As it came apart Mitchie and Caitlyn worked on moving the pieces to the other room. When the bed was completely disassembled and moved Nate began working on putting it back together.

Thankfully the dresser wasn't very heavy, so Caitlyn and Mitchie were able to move it while the bed was being reassembled. The only thing Alex moved was the lamp the usually sat on the bedside table, since it was extremely light. She carried it into the room just as Nate and Caitlyn were wresting the mattress back onto the bed. Mitchie appeared a moment later with the nightstand and placed it in the room. Alex set the lamp on top with a content sigh.

"Okay, part one complete," she said with a grin. "Now for the fun part. Painting."

"Do you have rolling brushes?" Nate asked, wiping sweat from his brow. He hadn't expected to work up a sweat just moving a bed, but Mitchie wasn't kidding when she'd said it was heavy. He felt moisture running down his back, causing his tight shirt to cling to him even more.

"In the garage," Mitchie said with a nod. "I'll get them." She looked pointedly to her wife. "Alex, why don't you come downstairs with me and get refreshments for everyone?"

Alex caught onto what Mitchie was trying to do, but she had a better idea. "Why doesn't Caitlyn go with you?"

"Me?" the brunette in question asked, frowning. "Why me?"

"I don't feel like walking up and down the stairs," Alex said, which wasn't completely a lie. But it wasn't the full truth. "You know where everything is, anyway."

Mitchie looked at her wife questioningly, but Alex just winked, and she figured her wife had a reason behind the suggestion. She didn't know what she was planning, but she knew the former wizard was much more cunning and manipulative than she was. And she'd agreed to help her with the match making, so she decided to trust her.

"Yeah, come with me, Cait," Mitchie said, walking over and grabbing her friend by the wrist. "We'll be right back." She began to pull the woman from the room.

Caitlyn scowled in suspicion, glaring slightly at Alex as they left the room, but went without protest all the same. As soon as Alex was sure they were a safe distance away she rounded on the man.

"So, what do you think of Caitlyn?" Alex asked. She knew Mitchie liked to take the less direct approach, but subtle wasn't a word that was in her vocabulary. She hated beating around the bush.

"I, uh—What do you mean?" Nate stammered, his face turning red slightly.

"Like, do you think she's pretty?"

"I mean, yeah," he stammered out, feeling extremely flustered.

"Cool, you should ask her out," Alex said matter-of-factly, crossing her arms over her chest.

Nate coughed, choking on his own spit. Alex smirked as he pounded himself on the chest, trying to get control of himself. He wheezed in and out, unable to meet her eye.

"Alex, I don't think—"

"No, stop," she said, holding up a hand. "Don't think. You think too much. You're like Mitchie. You think about something so much that you scare yourself into not acting." She stepped forward and placed a hand on Nate's shoulder, causing him to finally meet her gaze. "If Mitchie and I would have let our heads get it in the way of our hearts we never would have gotten together. And look how that turned out. So stop thinking and just do."

"It's not that simple, Alex," he said, shaking his head.

"What's so complicated?" she demanded, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "You're both single, you think she's pretty, I know she likes you."

"She likes me?" he asked, looking rather hopeful. Bingo. Alex had him right where she wanted him.

"She thinks you're _hot_ ," she said with a smirk. "And ya know, that you're a good person and stuff, too," she added. "But you should go for it."

He sighed heavily, shaking his head again. "I don't know."

"Nate, stop being difficult," Alex all but growled. "Look, Caitlyn is Mitchie's best friend, and one of mine as well. You're our friend, too, though. You're both great people, and you deserve to find someone who is just as awesome as you are. Mitchie and I want to see you happy. And we think you could find happiness in each other," she said, shrugging. "Maybe we're wrong. But isn't it worth it to find out?"

Nate thought about it for a moment, and then he nodded slowly. "Maybe you're right."

"I'm usually right," she said with a wide grin.

"I wouldn't say that," Caitlyn said, appearing in the doorway with four bottles of water in her arms. She grinned cheekily before asking, "What does Alex think she's right about?"

Nate let out a breath, relieved Caitlyn hadn't overheard all of the conversation. "Alex thinks Paul was the most talented Beatle. I think it was John," he lied, and Alex raised her eyebrows in surprise that he had it in him.

"Oh," Caitlyn said. "Then you're both wrong. It was George." She held out one of the water bottles, which the raven-haired woman took with an eye roll.

"I guess we both stand corrected," Nate said with a slight laugh.

"Glad I could educate you," she said with a smirk. "Mitchie's waiting for us in the other room, by the way." She nodded her head out the doorway. "Room's not gonna paint itself. So, are you two gonna keep shooting the shit, or are you helping?"

Nate's cheeks went rosy, and he muttered, "Helping." He took a water from Caitlyn before squeezing past her and out of the room.

* * *

An hour later the room was painted a nice, soft shade of yellow, and the four adults stood in the center of the room admiring their work. The room felt airy and light, the window open to let out the paint fumes. Mitchie and Alex couldn't stop the smiles that came to their faces.

Alex placed her hands on her ever-growing belly and looked down at it fondly. "What do you think, baby girl?" she asked in a soft voice. "Do you like your room?"

"I bet she does," Mitchie said, stooping down to place a kiss on Alex's stomach.

"I can't wait to get the furniture in here," Alex said, looking around the room and trying to imagine what it would look like with all the baby stuff in it. She could picture a changing table along one wall, the crib against the other, and a rocking chair in the corner.

"Do you need help putting all of it together when it comes?" Nate asked.

"We may be able to handle it," Mitchie answered. "We'll let you know."

Alex yawned loudly, stretching. "Wow. What a day. I'm beat."

"You hardly did anything," Caitlyn remarked. "Just like when we moved you into your and Mitchie's first apartment in New York."

"I'm pregnant now," Alex defended, pouting. "I can't lift things."

"Okay, that explains now," Caitlyn quipped. "What was your excuse then?"

"I was supervising," Alex said, sticking her nose in the air.

"And you did so well," Mitchie said, reaching out and taking Alex hand, squeezing it lightly. Alex smiled at her before yawning again. "You look like you could use a nap."

"That sounds amazing, actually."

"Guess we'll get out of your hair, then," Caitlyn said, smirking. "Come on, Nate. I know when we're not wanted."

"Oh, stop," Mitchie said. "You know we love you."

"Duh. I'm lovable," Caitlyn joked. She nodded to Nate. "We can show ourselves out. I'll lock the door behind us," she added, looking back and forth between the women.

"Thanks," Mitchie said. "For everything. We couldn't have done this without either of you."

"Don't mention it," Nate said, waving off the comment. "Get some rest. Let me know about the furniture, okay?"

Mitchie nodded. "Of course." She smiled at her friends.

They exchanged hugs, and Caitlyn and Nate took their leave. Mitchie waited until she heard the door close downstairs to turn to Alex.

"Are you really tired or is this part of you helping me get them together?" she questioned, and Alex had to laugh.

"Both," she said. "I gave Nate a little push in the right direction. The rest is in his hands. Hopefully he takes my advice."

"Ooh, I want to know," Mitchie said, suddenly interested. "How about I go run us a bath so I can wash off this paint? You can tell me all about your conversation, and then we can take a nap after."

"Perfect," Alex said, kissing Mitchie quickly on the lips before taking her by the hand and pulling her from the room, across the hall to their bedroom.

* * *

Outside Nate hesitated before getting into his vehicle. Caitlyn sat behind the wheel of her convertible with the top down, idling in the driveway. She scrolled through her phone, trying to find something to listen to for the drive home. Nate watched her, his talk with Alex weighing on his mind. He knew she was right. He did like Caitlyn, and he did want to go for it. He just didn't know how. He'd never been good with words. He could never think of what to say, so he ended up saying nothing. But Alex told him to stop thinking, just do. So, he threw his shoulders back confidently and walked over to her car.

"Hey, I was wondering," he began, pausing as she looked up to him, "do you want to hang out or something?"

She raised her eyebrows in surprise and lifted her sunglasses from her face, resting them atop her head. "What did you have in mind?"

He hesitated for a moment, honestly having no idea. It wasn't like he could just go out anywhere with anyone. There were constantly people trying to take his photo. And though he didn't think spending time with Caitlyn was something he had to hide, he also didn't like people butting into his personal life. He didn't know what things would lead to with Caitlyn, but he wanted to find out before the tabloids started posting about them before he even had the chance to kiss her.

"Netflix, takeout, maybe drinks?" he offered, hoping it was enough.

She regarded him for a moment. "So, Netflix and chill?" she asked with a smirk. Nate could feel his cheeks burning and was about to retract the offer when Caitlyn continued, "Okay, sounds fun."

He breathed out a sigh in relief. "Cool. My place?"

Caitlyn nodded. "I'll follow you."

Nate smiled, nodding as well. He walked back to his car, excitement spreading through his chest as he climbed into the driver's seat.

* * *

Nate's house was in Beverly Hills, and Caitlyn gawked at the vastness of the abode as she pulled into the driveway. She thought her apartment was nice by California standards, but it seemed like a shack compared to Nate's mansion. She couldn't believe he had such a large home just for himself, but then again, he was filthy rich. She supposed he had to do something with all that money.

He led her into the living room, and her jaw dropped at the massive 4K smart TV on the wall. He turned it on, and the picture was so dazzling she couldn't look away.

"What should we watch?" he asked, pulling up Netflix.

"You pick," Caitlyn said, still in awe of the expensive appliance.

Nate chuckled and began to scroll through the options. He didn't watch much TV and movies, and when he did it was usually action or adventure. Caitlyn didn't seem like the type to enjoy those types of movies, though. He had to pick something she would like as well.

"How do you feel about scary?" he asked.

"Love it," she said, finally looking to him with a smirk.

"Me too," he said, smiling. "Hey, I didn't know _Scream_ was a TV series. I loved those movies."

"Same, but I never watched the show," Caitlyn said. "I'm skeptical because it's MTV, and they're hit or miss."

"I'm game to check it out if you are," he said with a shrug.

"Sure, put it on," Caitlyn said as she went over to the couch and sat down.

Nate did and afterwards turned off the light before going over to sit beside her on the couch. He rested his arm across the back of it and glanced at her in the darkness, smiling to himself as the show started.

* * *

They ordered pho and spring rolls for dinner, pausing the show so they wouldn't have to watch gore while they were eating. After their was food in their bellies Nate broke out the rum, pouring it straight into his glass. When he went to do the same for Caitlyn she frowned slightly.

"Do you have anything to mix this with?" she asked, taking the glass.

"No," he admitted. "I don't keep soda or juice in the house. I only drink water."

"Health nut," Caitlyn joked, poking him in the ribs. "Guess I'm drinking this straight." She held it up. "Cheers."

Nate clinked his glass to hers. "Cheers."

They both took big sips, Nate's going down easily, and Caitlyn finishing hers with a grimace. Nate laughed at the scrunched-up face she was making.

"You don't have to drink if you don't want to," he said.

"No, it's not that," she said, swallowing to try to get the taste out of her mouth. "I'm just not much of a rum drinker."

"I have whiskey, vodka, tequila," he listed.

"I'm good," she said, giggling. "Nate, are you an alcoholic or something?"

"No," he said with a small smile and sipped at his drink. "I'm just a man of many tastes. And I enjoy a drink every now and then. It's not like I get drunk all the time."

"I've never seen you drunk," Caitlyn said, grinning at the thought. Nate was always so quiet and reserved. She couldn't imagine him sloppy and rowdy like other people when they were drunk. "I seem to recall wondering if I could get some of your secrets out of you by getting you drunk."

"Care to find out?" he asked boldly, catching her eye and holding her gaze.

"Right now?" she asked incredulously.

"Sure, why not?" he asked, and he tipped his glass back and drained it. He poured another and looked up to see her staring at him in disbelief. "What?"

"Nothing," she said and took a small sip from her glass. "Just slow down and let me catch up." She grimaced as she went to take another sip.

"You don't have to get drunk with me," he said quickly, hoping she didn't feel like he was pressuring her in any way. That was what Shane used to do, what he'd done to Mitchie. Nate didn't want to be that guy—ever. "You have to drive home, after all."

"I don't _have_ to," Caitlyn said nonchalantly. "There's Uber and Lyft."

"Your car's here," he reminded her as she tipped back the glass and finished it on one go, and he was rather impressed.

"I can get another ride back tomorrow," Caitlyn said with a shrug as she poured another glass. "I don't like to let people drink alone," she said in a playful manner as she lifted it for another sip.

"How charitable of you," he fired back, sipping rum as well. He felt warmth spread through his chest, and he polished off his glass to help build his courage. "You could always just stay the night," he offered softly. Caitlyn raised her eyebrows at his boldness, and he lost his nerve a little, so he quickly added, "I have quite a few guest rooms I'm sure you'd be more than comfortable in."

Caitlyn was silent for a moment, chewing her lip as she stared at him and mulled over his offer. She was touched that he offered her a room instead of explicitly trying to get her into bed. She didn't think Nate was that type of guy, but it was still nice to see that chivalry wasn't dead. He'd also made sure she knew there was no pressure for her to drink, which was almost mind-blowing. Any time she went out with a guy he always tried to get her to drink, obviously hoping it would lower her inhibitions and give them a shot at going home with her. Even though she wasn't out with Nate and what they were doing wasn't a date, it still stirred something inside her, something she hadn't felt since her breakup with Gabe.

"Okay, a sleepover it is," she said, smiling at Nate over the rim of her glass as she took a slow sip.

* * *

They continued drinking as they began watching _Scream_ again. It wasn't as good as the movies, but it was a decent effort for a station that originally only played music videos. They made a game of it, making up rules as the show went on so that they had to drink any time a certain thing happened. Someone gets murdered? Drink. The Killer calls Emma? Drink. If there was a jump scare and one of them jumped, that person drank. By the time they were halfway through the first season they were both pretty wasted.

After the fifth episode Netflix stopped autoplaying, and a message popped up on the screen asking if they were still watching. Nate and Caitlyn groaned loudly at its appearance.

"Of course we're still watching, Netflix!" Caitlyn yelled at the screen. "Where do you think we're going?"

"That's judgmental," Nate said with a laugh, turning to look to the woman beside him instead. "I just want to watch shows without Netflix reminding me I'm being a lazy shit."

"Same." Caitlyn grabbed the remote from the coffee table and went to start the show again, but paused before doing so, turning her attention to the man beside her instead. "Who do you think the killer is?"

"Not sure yet," Nate said, frowning at the question. "Probably the creepy teacher who's fucking his student."

"That's what they want you to think," Caitlyn said. "It's more likely Emma's creepy new boyfriend with the weird beard."

"I should grow my beard like his," Nate said jokingly, almost slurring.

"Please don't," Caitlyn almost begged.

"What, you won't think I'm hot anymore with the Kieran beard?"

Caitlyn froze, her mouth dropping open slightly. She gaped at him for a moment, unable to form words. Finally, she was able to choke out, "What?"

"Alex said you think I'm hot," Nate said, shrugging to try to seem coy. He wanted to mask how nervous he actually felt, like an entire hive of bees was buzzing around in his chest.

"Fucking Alex… I mean—you're attractive," Caitlyn stammered, heat rising in her cheeks. "I'm not blind."

"Neither am I," Nate said with a small nod. "Which is why I think you're hot, too."

Caitlyn stared at him, taken aback. She was sure her face was the color of a tomato at this point. "You think _I'm_ hot?"

"Well, I'd say beautiful," he said quickly. "But yeah, I do. I always have."

"Always?" she asked, shaking her head slightly. "I don't understand."

Nate took a deep breath, his nerves sobering him slightly as he mustered up his courage. "Do you remember your first summer at Camp Rock?"

"Vaguely," she answered. "It was a long time ago."

"Well, I do," he said. "It was my last summer as a camper. It was the summer we won Final Jam."

"Oh yeah," Caitlyn said, the fuzzy memory seeping into her foggy brain. "Wait, didn't we have a class together?"

"A hip-hop dance class," Nate said with a nod. "I hated it. During the first run-through I fell flat on my ass in front of everyone."

"Oh my god, I remember that now!" Caitlyn exclaimed, smiling as the memory came back to her. "I helped you up."

"You did," Nate said, a small smile on his lips. "I looked down because everyone was laughing at me, but when I looked up, there you were, holding your hand out to me and smiling so kindly. I thought you were so beautiful I forgot how to breathe for a second."

"I was, like, twelve," Caitlyn said, rolling her eyes.

"So was I," Nate reminded her. "And I was awkward and insecure, and I was too terrified to even speak to you." He shrugged. "After that you linked up with Tess, and I was even more scared of her, but for different reasons. I didn't talk to you all summer, and then Final Jam happened, and I never saw you again."

"We've literally been friends for seven years," Caitlyn said with a small frown.

"Okay, I never saw you again up until seven years ago," he corrected quickly. "But you were dating Gabe, and we'd just found out about Sam. That summer was kind of a clusterfuck. There wasn't really opportunity for us to connect that way." He shrugged again. "But here we are. I still think you're as beautiful as the day I saw you. And I've finally found the guts to tell you." He paused, smiling. "So I guess now you know one of my deep, dark secrets."

"Wow, I really did have to get you drunk to tell me," she said, shaking her head amusedly. She couldn't help the smile that made its way to her face. She felt floaty and light.

"I told you, I'm not good with words," he said.

"Well maybe you should stop talking and start doing," she said, quirking an eyebrow at him.

His heart hammered in his chest, and his self-consciousness made him question her meaning. He wanted to believe she was giving him the go-ahead to make a move, but because of his inebriated state he didn't trust himself. He hesitated, but slowly started to lean forward. Caitlyn grabbed him by the shirt collar and pulled him to her, closing the gap and kissing him firmly on the lips.

* * *

 **That's all for now. I really am sorry. I know that Nate/Caitlyn thing took over half the chapter. Next chapter only has one _small_ scene with them to kind of tie it up, and from then on it should only be mentioned, never focused on in such detail ever again.**

 **I just really love Caitlyn and want her to be happy okay?!**

 **Until next time.**

 **-DF**


	17. Mid-Morning Mood Swing

Hi, **yes, I'm still alive. I know I haven't updated since September, but I actually got really busy with work. And then there were family obligations. But here's your update. Please enjoy.**

 **And obviously y'all know I don't own Camp Rock and WOWP.**

* * *

Mitchie frowned the next morning when she woke up and discovered she had no texts from Caitlyn. She was sure if something had happened with Nate Caitlyn would have texted her right away. That must have meant nothing happened. She huffed in agitation as she set her phone back on the nightstand.

Alex was still sleeping peacefully beside her, and Mitchie smiled as she looked down at the woman. She looked so cute, face eased and soft snores coming from her partially parted lips. Mitchie lay next to her, cuddling close and kissing Alex on the cheek.

The Latina stirred, blinking tiredly as she woke, a smile tugging at her lips as Mitchie continued to plant light butterfly kisses across her face. She giggled and brought her hands to Mitchie's cheeks, grabbing them so she could guide Mitchie's lips to hers. Mitchie smiled into it, pulling away to beam at her still-groggy wife.

"Good morning," Mitchie said softly.

"Morning, love," Alex said before letting out a huge yawn. "What time is it?" she asked, peeking over her wife's shoulder to look at the clock.

"A little past ten," Mitchie said, though Alex could now see for herself. "We slept in."

"You call this sleeping in?" Alex asked with a snort. "Give me a few more hours. I'll show you sleeping in." She rested her head on the pillow again and closed her heavy eyelids.

Mitchie shook her head amusedly. Ever since Alex had to give up coffee because of the baby she'd been much harder to coax out of bed in the morning, something that was usually impossible enough as it was. Not to mention being pregnant completely drained her of the little energy Alex's lazy body had to begin with.

"You sleep a little more," Mitchie told her, leaning over to place yet another kiss on the Latina's forehead. "I'm going to go start breakfast."

"Sounds good," Alex muttered tiredly, not bothering to open her eyes as Mitchie climbed out of the bed.

She made her way downstairs, the stillness of the house bringing her peace yet a twinge of sadness in her heart. Sam was still with Shane and would be for at least five more days. She was getting used to him going there more often, but it still hurt a little every morning to wake up and not be able to see his smiling face.

On the way to the kitchen she grabbed her MacBook from the couch and brought it with her. After setting coffee to brew she opened the computer and pulled up FaceTime. Pressing the call button, she waited anxiously for an answer, tapping her nails on the marble countertop. The called picked up, and for a few moments the screen was blank as the video connected. When it did Shane's questioning face greeted her.

"Hey, Mitch," he said, frowning slightly. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?" she asked, now confused herself. Since when did her calling him mean something was wrong?

"You don't usually call this early," he said, eyebrows raised.

"You're never awake this early," Mitchie said, rolling her eyes. "Except when you have Sam. Which is who I'm actually calling for," she quipped, smirking down at her laptop screen. "I miss him," she admitted. "Can I talk to him?"

"Sure," Shane said, and it looked like he stood from his couch. "He's upstairs getting dressed," Shane said, as it appeared he began walking through the house. "We're going to play laser tag a little later."

"He'll love that," Mitchie said, smiling. She and Alex had brought him a few times before, and he always had a blast. She and Alex enjoyed it, too. They were both really competitive, and usually made a bet to see who could get the most points, the winner usually earning some sort of sexual favor of their choosing after they got home (and Sam went to bed). "I'm actually a little bummed we'll be missing out," she said honestly.

"Why don't you come with us?" Shane offered sincerely. "You could meet us there. I was gonna bring him to the place off Ventura Boulevard."

"That's the one we usually go to," Mitchie said, nodding, and now smiling at the idea of joining in on the fun. She stopped though, remembering Alex's condition. "Do you think that'll be safe for Alex and the baby? Running around and all that?"

"Running isn't allowed," Shane reminded her. "There's a whole video where they go over the rules. That's literally the first one."

"You think Alex follows the rules?" Mitchie asked, laughing. "That's cute, Shane."

The man rolled his eyes as he stopped in the hallway outside of the door to Sam's room. "There's an arcade, too. She can play ski ball or something."

"She hates ski ball," Mitchie said.

"Who hates ski ball?" Shane asked exasperatedly.

"She has her reasons," Mitchie said, knowing what those were but not wanting to share them with Shane since they were none of his business. "But I'll ask her if she wants to go after we eat," she said, hoping to change the subject from Alex's aversion to the arcade game. "What time were you thinking? Because I still have to wake up Sleeping Beauty. I figure it'll be easier with food to hold under her nose as bribery."

"Whenever works for you," he said with a shrug and knocked on Sam's door. "Just text me." The door opened, and Sam looked up at him expectantly.

"Are we leaving?" he asked with a big smile.

"Not yet," Shane told him, handing the phone over. "Your mom wants to talk to you."

Sam took it and smiled at the device. "Hi, Mommy."

"Hi, baby," Mitchie said, staring fondly at the image of her son on the computer. "How are you? Did Dad buy you some new clothes?"

"Yeah, look!" He held the phone out and aimed it down at his outfit. He wore cargo shorts and a green shirt with a T-Rex on the front. The dog by the same name sat at the boy's feet, staring up at his owner and begging for attention.

"Wow, that's a cool shirt," Mitchie said encouragingly. "Did you pick it out all by yourself?"

"Yep," Sam said, pointing the camera at his face again. "Where's Mama?" he asked, noticing her absence.

"She's still sleeping," Mitchie told him. "But I'm gonna wake her up soon. And then maybe she and I will be meeting you and Dad at laser tag. Does that good?" she asked, somewhat self-consciously. She knew Sam loved her, but she didn't want him to be upset for encroaching on his time with his father.

"Sounds _awesome_!" Sam said earnestly.

"Good," Mitchie said, breathing a sigh of relief. "Well, let me go then. I need to make Mama breakfast to get her out of bed," she said with a grin. "I love you. I'll see you soon."

"Love you, see you," Sam said, giving a small wave and hanging up the call.

Mitchie closed the FaceTime app, still grinning widely. Maybe Shane taking Sam more often wouldn't be so bad as long as they all did things together to help get her through the week. After all, they invited Shane over sometimes throughout the week and allowed him to join in some things they did as a family. Sam always seemed to enjoy the time they spent together, all four of them.

With the hope that she would be seeing her son in a few hours' time, Mitchie set to work. She played music from her laptop as she went through the motions of making breakfast. She sang along as she mixed the pancake mix, adding in chocolate chips because since Alex wasn't going to have coffee, she could at least use a little bit of a sugar rush to get her going. Hopefully by the time she crashed they would be back home.

* * *

When the pancakes and bacon were done she sat down to eat her own helping, eating quickly so she could get Alex's serving upstairs before it got too cold. She ate so fast she gave herself hiccups, and she took large gulps of her coffee to try to cease the annoying bodily function. Thankfully it helped, and they were completely gone by the time she went back upstairs with Alex's food and a glass of chocolate milk on a tray.

She pushed the door open with her foot and tiptoed into the room. Alex's deep breaths filled the room, and she looked so peaceful that Mitchie almost wanted to forget the outing all together and let her sleep. But her want to see her son outweighed her desire to watch her wife sleep, so she set the tray on the ground before grabbing the curtains and spreading them open.

Light filled the room, and Alex stirred as sunlight hit her face. She squeezed her eyes shut tighter and pulled the covers over her head, hissing at the sudden brightness as if she were a vampire. Mitchie rolled her eyes with amusement and pulled the covers from her wife's face.

"Come on, my darling," she said in a sweet voice as the raven-haired woman pouted up at her. "You and baby need to eat." She retrieved the tray from the floor as Alex sat up with a groan. She set the trap in Alex's lap. "I even put chocolate chips in these," Mitchie said, gesturing to the pancakes and hoping it would tempt her wife. "Just don't tell Sam," she added, smirking.

"I won't," Alex agreed with a small chuckle as she picked up her fork and stabbed at her pancakes. "So, what do you want to do today?" she asked as she lifted a forkful and took a bite.

They'd taken off the week from the studio so they could work on the nursery, so their schedules were open. But they'd been originally planning on having Sam with them all week. It was easy to keep busy when an eight-year-old ball of energy was constantly asking to be entertained every moment of the day. At first the time alone had been extremely nice, but they were beginning to not know what to do with themselves.

"Actually," Mitchie said as she sat gingerly on the bed, "I talked to Shane, and he's taking Sam to laser tag. He asked if we want to go along. I said I'd ask you."

"Oh fuck yeah!" Alex exclaimed, her mouth still full of half-chewed food. She swallowed it before continuing. "A chance to see Sam _and_ beat Shane at something? I'm so in."

Mitchie nearly laughed with amusement at her wife's childish nature, but instead she said in a warning tone, "But you can't run, okay?" She narrowed her eyes as Alex opened her mouth to protest. "It's too dangerous. Running isn't even allowed, but you do it anyway. Can you please just walk like a normal person, just this once?" She took Alex's hand that wasn't attached to her fork and held it in her own. "So I can have peace of mind. Please?"

Alex could tell Mitchie was genuinely worried, and she couldn't say she blamed her. After all, she'd fallen in laser tag while running before, and that was when she didn't have a bump under her shirt to weigh her down. She'd never forgive herself if she fell now, and then something happened to the baby. They'd worked too hard for her to fuck it all up by being stupid and reckless.

"Okay," she agreed, smiling gently to show the singer she meant it.

Mitchie breathed a sigh of relief and squeezed Alex's hand gently before letting it go to allow the woman to finish her breakfast.

* * *

Caitlyn woke up the next morning feeling tired and sore in the best possible ways. She was thankful she and Nate had stopped drinking when they did, because it had spared her a hangover. She actually felt great considering she'd been slightly drunk the night before. Her limbs may have been heavy and sleep threatened to take hold of her again, but she lay awake in Nate's huge, impossibly soft bed.

She wore only her underwear and an overly large t-shirt Nate had offered her the night before, her own clothes littering the master bedroom floor of the expensive California home. Caitlyn let out a loud yawn as she stretched, enjoying the popping sensations in her joints. She felt an easiness in her chest she hadn't felt in a long time, like each breathe was clearer and more refreshing. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so relaxed.

Actually, she could. It was before her breakup with Gabe, before her life reverted to a bland, sexless existence. But last night had put an end to her dry spell, and it was well worth the wait.

She could still feel the ghost of Nate's touch on her skin, and she smiled to herself as she sat up, rubbing her eyes. She swung her legs off the bed and sunk onto the floor. She'd heard Nate get up not long before, but he hadn't returned yet, so Caitlyn went in search of him.

The faint sound of music hit her ears, and she followed it to the kitchen. The smell of coffee percolating hit her, and she found Nate standing over the stove working on a huge pan of scrambled eggs. He wore only his boxers, and she stared at the muscles in his back, admiring the view in front of her.

She didn't know the band that was playing, but she enjoyed the melody, and Nate sang along, his angelic voice blending perfectly with the singers'.

"I think's it's obvious," Nate sang along, "Beautiful girls are the loneliest."

Caitlyn smiled as she crept up behind him, snaking her arms around his waist when she reached him. She buried her face in his back as she felt a small laugh ripple through his chest.

"I wasn't aware I had an audience," he said, turning in Caitlyn's arms so that he was looking down at her. He smiled and lifted a hand to cup her cheek. "Hi."

"Hi," she said softly, returning his smile. "Looks like you're making enough eggs to feed an army," she quipped, nodding over his shoulder at the large helping of scrambled eggs still cooking in the pan.

"I need the protein," he said, laughing slightly again. "How'd you sleep?" he asked, gazing down at her fondly.

"Pretty well," she said nonchalantly, a sexy smirk replacing her smile. "I was kind of spent, though, so it's understandable."

Nate's cheeks went slightly pink, and he brushed his fingertips across her cheek gently. "And how do you feel about last night?" he asked carefully. He knew she'd been willing and eager in the moment, but he was still worried it had simply been the alcohol and she'd wake up in the morning regretting everything and hating him in turn.

"I'm fine," she answered honestly. "Great even." She paused, trying to read his face. "What about you?"

"I'm ecstatic," he said, smiling the widest Caitlyn thought she'd ever seen him smile. She loved it when he beamed like that, his slightly crooked, shy grin lighting up his whole face.

"Good," she said, and she lifted herself up on her toes and placed a quick kiss on his lips before pulling away. He looked disappointed, so she just spun him around so he was facing the eggs again. "Don't wanna burn your eggs," she told him.

"I wouldn't mind if it was for a good cause," he shot back, though he turned off the stove all the same.

Caitlyn tried to help finish breakfast, but Nate wasn't having it. He insisted she sit at the table and have coffee while he got the rest together. She begrudgingly agreed, but she had to admit that it was nice being waited on. She didn't think Gabe had ever cooked for her once, always preferring to take her to dinner or order in or simply let her cook. Sure, Nate was just making her scrambled eggs and popping some toast in the toaster and cutting up an avocado to go on top of it, but it was more than any guy had ever done for her.

He set the plates on the table, tucking into his meal and shoveling eggs into his mouth immediately. Caitlyn watched him, slightly amused, but still in awe of the simple gesture of making her breakfast. When he noticed she hadn't touched her food and her attention was on him, he swallowed his mouthful and wiped the back of his mouth with his hand subconsciously.

"What?" he asked her, worried he had something on his face or something.

"Nothing," she said, shrugging. "You're just a really great guy," she said softly. "And I really like you."

"I really like you, too," he said with sincerity and reached out to grab her hand. He brought it to his mouth and kissed the back of it sweetly.

"Do you want to go on a date with me?" she blurted before she could stop herself. Nate froze, and she felt like kicking herself. She'd been too blunt, scared him off.

"I think that's the first time _I've_ been the one asked out instead of the other way around," he said thoughtfully. He gave a small smile and told her, "I'd be honored."

Relief flooded Caitlyn's chest, and she smiled back at him, butterflies fluttering in her stomach. "Good," she said, squeezing his hand before taking her own back to finally start on the simple yet delightful breakfast Nate had prepared.

* * *

Some days Mitchie thought she missed magic more than Alex did. Alex had always been lazy, but her pregnancy made that character flaw much worse. Even after Alex was finished with eating and the promise of a fun day of laser tag hung in the air, it still took Mitchie ten minutes to get Alex to roll out of bed.

Getting her to get dressed and ready was like pulling teeth. Alex had never really been one to stress over clothing or what she was going to wear. She was a firm believer that a pair of jeans and a t-shirt could go a long way. But since she started getting bigger and having to wear maternity clothes she preferred to spend most of her time in her pjs. Sure, she and Mitchie had gone to get her new clothes, but she didn't like any of them. They weren't her style, and she hated the way she looked in them.

After trying on the fifth blouse and despising her appearance Alex collapsed on the bed again, tears in her eyes at how ugly she felt. Mitchie was quick to wrap her arms around the sobbing woman, insisting that Alex was wrong, that she was the most beautiful woman Mitchie had ever seen.

"You have to say that, you're my wife!" Alex wailed, burying her face in Mitchie's shoulder.

Mitchie shook her head as she rubbed a soothing hand across the crying woman's back. "Right, you're my wife. Obviously I think you're gorgeous if I married you."

"I was young, beautiful, and thin then!" Alex insisted. She attempted to push Mitchie away, but the songstress just held on tighter, and began planting kisses across Alex's cheeks, drying her tear tracks as she went.

"You're beautiful, you're perfect," Mitchie said, pulling away to catch Alex's gaze. "And I couldn't be more in love with you."

Alex stared at her for a few moments, her bottom lip wobbling as she tried to slow her tears. "Promise?" she asked in a small voice.

"Promise," Mitchie said honestly, reaching up to dry the rest of her wife's tears with the pads of her thumbs. "Okay?"

"Okay," Alex said with a small nod. She smiled apologetically and hid her face in the crook of Mitchie's neck, her nose brushing lightly over the other woman's skin.

"Are you going to be alright?" Mitchie asked in a concerned voice as she resumed rubbing Alex's back. "I can text Shane and tell him we can't make it to laser tag." She didn't want to, especially since she was missing Sam, but if Alex wasn't feeling up to it she wasn't going to force her.

"No, don't do that," Alex said quickly, lifting her face again to show she'd stopped crying. "I'm good now. We can go. I don't want to disappoint Sam." She plastered on a smile to show her mood swing had passed and stood, grabbing Mitchie by the hand and pulling her with her.

Mitchie smiled as well as Alex led her from the bedroom, happy they were going after all. She couldn't wait to see her little man and hug him something fierce.

* * *

 **That's the chapter.**

 **So, I'm going on a trip in a couple of days. I'll be away from my computer throughout that time. I am not planning to have another chapter up before I leave. I have too much to do. So, just giving you a fair warning it will probably be a few weeks before my next update.**

 **That being said, Happy Halloween, everyone. Until next time. -DF**


	18. Mama Bear Mode

**Hey everyone. Happy Thanksgiving! Sorry it took so long for me to update. I was on vacation. So without further ado, here is a new chapter!**

 **And y'all know I don't own shit... Except maybe Sam. Yeah, I own Sam. Everything else is based off works owned by Disney.**

 **(Please read an additional note at the end of the chapter)**

* * *

Sam launched himself into Mitchie's arms as soon as Alex and Mitchie walked into Laser Zone. Mitchie beamed as she wrapped her arms around her son, holding him close and savoring every moment. She placed a kiss atop his head before letting him go so Alex could take a turn hugging him. As the they greeted each other Shane sauntered over, hands in his pockets as he watched the exchange.

"Thanks for inviting us," Mitchie said to him.

"Of course," Shane said, waving off the comment. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out two bracelets, handing them to Mitchie. "I got your wristbands. They're good for unlimited laser tag games."

"Thanks," Mitchie said, noting that Shane and Sam were already wearing their own wristbands. She nudged Alex lightly with her elbow to get her attention and held out a wristband for her to take, which she did.

They helped each other put them on, and then Mitchie paid for a locker to put her purse in. Once it was safely stowed away she and Alex met Sam and Shane in the game room area, where the father and son duo were playing a game of air hockey.

Sam was pretty terrible at it, often times swiping at the puck and missing, and when he did hit it there was no aim, so it just bounced off the side of the table. Shane was obviously going easy on him, moving his striker out of the way when Sam managed to send the puck anywhere near the goal. Eventually Sam "won" the game, pumping his fist triumphantly as he made his seventh goal.

"I won!" he said happily, a huge smile on his face. "I can't believe I beat you, Dad. I never win against Mom or Mama."

"Really?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at the women.

"We don't go easy on him," Alex said with a shrug. "He needs to learn to lose sometimes. That way he knows what it's like to fail and he doesn't become one of those kids who cries and makes a scene when he loses."

"Plus, think of how rewarding it will be for him when he finally beats us on his own," Mitchie added.

"He's _eight_ ," Shane said. "You're savages."

"Oh, please," Alex said with a snort. "He kicks our butts at Monopoly and pretty much every video game we've ever played with him."

"You're so bad at video games, Moms," Sam said, looking back and forth between his mothers. "Dad's way better."

"Well you can play them with him instead of us from now on," Mitchie told him, reaching out to stroke his hair fondly. "Do you want to keep playing in the game room, or do you want to go play laser tag now?"

"Laser tag!" Sam answered and grabbed hold of Shane's hand to drag him to the starting area.

"Wow, didn't even wait for us," Alex said, pouting slightly as she and Mitchie began following after Shane and Sam.

"He's just excited," Mitchie said, hoping Alex wouldn't get upset over Sam not waiting for them. It was something she wouldn't worry about normally, but after her mood swing that morning she was afraid something else would set off her wife. "You know how he is. He has a one-track mind."

"Yeah, you're right," Alex agreed as they got to the starting area.

They showed their wristbands to the worker at the door and were ushered inside a dark room lit by black lights. Shane and Sam were standing in the corner, and Mitchie and Alex joined them. There were several other people in the room, including a group of teenagers and a couple of families with children around Sam's age. After a minute or so the worker closed the door and went to the front of the room. He looked to be high school age, and he had greasy hair and acne dotting his face.

He went over the rules, the first one being that no running was allowed. Mitchie nudged Alex gently when he said this, earning a loud sigh from the pregnant woman. Once the rules had been run through the worker opened the door to the room with all of the laser tag gear. The group of players entered the room and started picking their sides. Alex and Mitchie chose to be on the green team, while Sam and Shane took red. The green team got the sets of families, while the teenagers picked red.

The Torres-Russos (and one Grey) wished each other luck before heading to their starting positions. A buzzer went off, signaling the start of the game, and the teams were off. Alex attempted to bolt through the door, but Mitchie grabbed onto her arm and held her back, making sure she walked into the arena calmly. Alex groaned and protested that they were going to be sitting ducks, but Mitchie held onto her firmly until they were deeper inside and able to find cover.

"We need to get to their base," Alex said, peeking around a corner. "Which way should we go?"

Mitchie pondered for a moment, scanning the area. "Why don't we go up that ramp and go over everything?" she strategized. "The railings up top will give us cover, and the height will give us a vantage point to be able to pick off the others."

"And the ramp comes down right near the other base," Alex said, realizing the brilliance of Mitchie's plan. "That's genius."

"Play smarter, not harder, babe," Mitchie said with a smirk and a wink. "Let's go."

Mitchie led the way, shielding Alex as they went because it was a little harder for her to walk up the ramp than usual. They only got hit once or twice as they went up, but once on the second level it was easier to move through the course. Members of their team had the same idea, but so had members of the red.

Mitchie and Alex made their way across the bridge to the other side, ducking and covering when necessary. As they got to the other ramp leading down they spotted Shane and Sam coming up. Mitchie and Alex crouched behind a wall until they had a clear shot, then fired on the boys. Their vests went blank, and they both groaned in frustration. The women took this opportunity to come out of their hiding spots, grinning triumphantly.

"Seriously, guys?" Shane asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "Did you have to shoot us?"

"We're on different teams," Alex said as she brushed past him. "It's the whole point of the game." She flashed him a smirk as she began to go down the ramp, Mitchie following after her.

Mitchie, knowing Shane's and Sam's vests would reactivate in a moment, turned and started walking backwards. When their vests lit up once more she shot them again, earning shouts of protest and frustration from the pair.

"They're not very good at this," Mitchie said with a snicker as she and Alex reached the ground level again.

"Good because it looks like we're carrying our team," Alex said, pointing to the parents on the upper level who had since quit playing and were just standing around playing on their phones while members of the opposing team shot at them mercilessly. Their children were running around shooting at each other, seeming not to realize it did nothing since they were on the same team.

"We really need to tag their base, then, to get extra points." Mitchie nodded matter-of-factly and started moving cautiously towards the area she knew held the red team's base.

The coast looked clear, but she knew there was bound to be members of the red team lurking, no doubt guarding the base. They crept forward, guns at the ready in case of an ambush. As they entered the enclosure they prepped themselves, but nothing happened. No one popped out at them, and they smiled to themselves. It seemed Red forgot an important aspect of the game: never leave your base unprotected. They shot at the triangle of sensors on the ceiling, and after a couple of hits a soft explosion sound went off, and the lights on the base went out.

"That was easy," Mitchie commented. "Almost anti-climactic."

"Who cares?" Alex said. "Wanna go see about guarding our base now?" she asked. "Because obviously no one else on our team will."

"Sure." Mitchie nodded. "Lead the way."

Alex nodded as well, and she turned and left the enclosure, Mitchie following behind. They made their way across the floor, ducking behind walls and posts to avoid fire from Sam and Shane, who had taken up post on the upper floor and were picking off players sniper-style as they went by. They were so busy firing back at their son and his father that they didn't notice a group of rowdy teenagers running around the corner. The teenagers had the group of children on their tails, screaming as they chased down the older kids. One of the teens looked back to see if the kids were still there, and in that moment of preoccupation, he knocked into Alex's back.

She stumbled, dropping the gun and placing her hands out in front of her to catch herself. Her palms connected with the wall, and luckily, she was able to catch and steady herself. Mitchie was at her side in an instant, her own gun clattering to the ground as she grabbed onto Alex.

"Oh my god," she said frantically. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Alex assured quickly.

"Did you hit the wall?" Mitchie placed a hand on Alex's shoulder and another on her stomach. Panic swelled in her chest, and she could feel the color draining from her face.

"Just with my hands, I caught myself," Alex said.

"Not your stomach?" Mitchie asked, still not satisfied.

"No," Alex told her, placing a hand over Mitchie's on her stomach. "I'm fine, Mitch, honestly. And she's fine, too," she said, looking down to her belly.

"Good," Mitchie said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"I'm so sorry, Ma'am," the teenager who had knocked into Alex said. He was wide-eyed and obviously guilt-stricken. His friend who'd been with him had since left, taking the children with him. But the kid who was involved in the incident felt too bad to just leave. He'd practically trampled a pregnant woman. He wanted to make sure she was okay. "I didn't see you, I swear."

"Why were you running?" Mitchie said angrily, letting go of Alex to advance on the boy. "Running isn't allowed. Are you stupid? You could have hurt someone. You could have killed our baby."

"I—I didn't mean to," the boy sputtered, backing away as Mitchie continued to march towards him.

"That doesn't change the fact that you plowed into my wife," the songstress said. She was fuming, so much so that it felt like steam was coming out of her ears.

"Mitch, he's just a kid," Alex said, grabbing her wife's arm gently to stop her from backing the poor boy into a corner.

That seemed to bring Mitchie back, and she remembered herself, stopping in her tracks. She took in the sight of the boy, big brown eyes wide with fear and his bottom lip quivering. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "Just… Be more careful, okay?" she tried to offer a gentle smile, but it came off as more of a grimace.

"Yes ma'am," he said with a gulp before running away.

Mitchie let out a deep sigh and ran a hand down her face tiredly. Suddenly she didn't feel like playing anymore.

Alex seemed to feel the same because she said, "Okay, I think we're done."

She picked up her and Mitchie's guns from the floor and handed Mitchie hers. The dark-haired woman took it wordlessly, her eyes trained on her sneakers. Alex took her hand and led them across the arena, to the exit. They discarded their equipment in the room they'd been in before the game then went back out into the game room area.

They found a table in the café, and Mitchie made Alex sit while she got them drinks from the counter. Alex waited for Mitchie to return, her hands on her stomach as she absentmindedly ran her hands over the growing bump. She was shaken from the almost-fall, but she tried not to show it for Mitchie's sake. Her wife was standing at the counter, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited in line. She kept looking over to Alex, not wanting to take her eyes off of her for more than a few seconds.

When she returned with the drinks she placed them on the table before taking the empty seat next to Alex. She scooted closer, wanting to put as little distance between them as possible. Placing a hand softly on Alex's stomach, she looked up to her wife questioningly.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked. "We could always leave and go to the doctor. Dr. Matthews told us to call her if we were worried about anything. I could call her right now." She quickly reached into her pocket for her phone.

"Mitchie, I'm fine," Alex said, reaching out and taking Mitchie's phone from her hand. She placed it on the table before taking the other woman's hand in her own. "I promise. I feel completely normal. There is nothing to worry about." She gave a warm smile to reassure the singer, but the crease between Mitchie's brow remained.

"Maybe we should just go home," she muttered. "Spend the rest of the day in bed, just to be safe."

"Mitch," Alex said with a groan.

But before she could protest anymore Sam and Shane appeared, both slightly sweaty and panting. It was obvious they'd been running, despite Shane pointing out that very rule to Mitchie earlier that morning. Sam reached for Mitchie's Sprite and took a huge sip through the straw.

"What happened to you guys?" Shane asked airily, still trying to catch his breath. "I didn't see you for the whole last half of the game."

"One of those teenagers ran into me, so we decided to sit the rest of the game out," Alex explained, causing worry to cross Shane's and Sam's faces.

"Are you okay?" Shane questioned, reaching out and placing a hand on Alex's shoulder.

She almost jerked away out of reflex. She'd never been Shane's biggest fan, and she'd always been vocal about her disdain for him. Honestly with the way she treated him at moments she was surprised he was so nice to her now. They hadn't always had the best relationship, and she didn't expect much from him. Sure, he was Sam's dad, but she'd never really considered him a friend, always harboring resentment for him after what he'd done to Mitchie. But the way he was looking at her with so much concern, the way he genuinely seemed to be worried about her well-being, it made her feel an unfamiliar appreciation for him.

"I'm good," she said softly. "But I think we're gonna take off." Mitchie blinked in surprise at this, so Alex gave her a wink. "Spend the rest of the day taking it easy, just in case."

"That's probably for the best," Shane said, nodding. "Looks like it's just me and you, Sam," Shane said, removing his hand from Alex's shoulder to place it on Sam's. "Ready for the next game?"

Sam looked back and forth between his mothers and his dad, seeming torn. He was silent for a few moments before peeking up shyly at Shane.

"Actually, can I go back home with Moms?" he asked in a small voice.

Shane's hand slid off Sam's shoulder and dropped limply by his side. "I thought you were having a good time?"

"I was," Sam said quickly. "But I'm worried about Mama."

Alex's heart felt like it was being squeezed, but in a good way at Sam's words. Most kids wouldn't think twice about going right back to playing, but Sam wasn't most kids. He was worried about her, and it took everything in her not to burst into happy tears at how much love she felt for him in that moment.

"Sam, there's nothing to worry about," she told him. "I'm completely fine. I'm just tired, so I'm going to go home and rest. You can stay with your dad and have fun."

Mitchie gasped slightly, and everyone turned to looked at her questioningly. She placed her hand over her mouth and shook her head slightly, showing it was nothing. Sam frowned and shifted his weight from foot to foot, mulling over his options.

"Are you sure, Mama?" he asked.

"I'm positive," she said, taking his face in her hands. "Kick Shane's butt for me, okay?"

"Okay," he said, a smiling stretching across his face.

"Good." She kissed his forehead before pulling him into a hug.

Shane smiled at Alex appreciatively and mouthed a thanks. She nodded to him as she let go of the boy, Sam going to Mitchie next to give her a hug goodbye. She held him to her, missing him before she even let him go.

Mitchie retrieved her purse from the locker, and afterwards Shane and Sam walked them to the door; but before they left Shane stopped them.

"Hold on, I have a question, Alex," Shane said, causing the women to pause as Alex frowned and looked to him questioningly.

"Okay?" she quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Why do you hate ski ball?"

She was taken aback, surprised he knew that. "Uh," she hesitated, feeling awkward suddenly. "It reminds me of one of my ex boyfriends."

It was Shane's turn to be taken aback. "A boyfriend? You had a boyfriend?" He shook his head, finding it hard to picture Alex with a guy. He'd only ever known her as Mitchie's girlfriend, and then wife. It boggled him to think she could have dated men at one point. "So, like, did he break your heart of something, and that's why you hate it? Oh god, did he turn you gay like I did to Mitchie?" He cracked a grin to show he was kidding. Obviously he knew a person couldn't be "turned" gay. Just like he couldn't have turned Mitchie straight just by sleeping with her. Being gay or bi or any other part of the LGBTQ+ community was something that was in no way a choice, something he'd come to understand after opening his mind and become more accepting. He credited Jason, Mitchie, and Alex for helping to educate him.

"No, he didn't break my heart," Alex said with an eye roll. "But his sister did."

Shane's smiled dropped, and he let out a small, "Oh."

"Yeah," Alex said in a monotone voice. "So now you know. And on that note, we're gonna go."

"Alex, I'm sorry," Shane said quickly. "I didn't know—I didn't think—"

"Don't worry about it," she said, cutting him off. "It was like, nearly a decade ago. Besides, I've got someone much better." She aimed a smile in Mitchie's direction, which the singer returned.

Shane let out a sigh of relief, and they said their final goodbyes. Mitchie and Alex walked back to the car, hand-in-hand. Mitchie surprised Alex by opening her car door for her, and while it was a change, it wasn't unwelcome. She climbed into the car beaming as Mitchie went around and got in on the driver's side. She started the car to get the air conditioner circulating in the hot vehicle, which felt akin to an oven in the LA summer heat. She didn't, however, move the car. Instead she turned to her wife and caught her eye.

"So, I noticed something," she began, causing Alex to quirk her head to the side and look at her questioningly, "Since Shane has been in Sam's life you have never, ever referred to him as 'Dad' when talking to Sam. You always just call him Shane. 'Shane's coming to pick you up,' or whatever."

"Do I?" Alex asked, and let out a thoughtful hum. "I never noticed."

"I did," Mitchie said with a small nod. "But just now, in there? You said, 'You can stay with _your dad_ ,'" she quoted, beaming. "You called Shane his dad."

Alex stared at her for a moment, chewing her bottom lip. When she released it she said, "I guess I did." She shrugged nonchalantly, seeming not to think much of it.

But Mitchie recognized the significance of the milestone. It wasn't lost on her, and something inside her buzzed with happiness as she put the car in gear. She'd grown to care for Shane despite how badly he fucked up her and her life all those years ago. After all, her life wasn't actually fucked up in the end. He'd given her a son whom she loved more than life itself, and the pregnancy caused her parents to move her across the country. Had that never happened she wouldn't have met Alex. So, in a weird way, she was thankful for Shane. And he'd made it up to her over the years. She'd learned to let go of her anger and move past it. But she knew Alex had always harbored ill-feelings towards the man. It sometimes made her nervous, waiting for Alex to rekindle the fiery hatred and go on the attack.

But this new development made her feel like things were finally starting to shift. Maybe Alex's stomach wasn't the only thing that was growing. Maybe so was their entire family dynamic, and for the better.

* * *

As soon as they got home they changed back into their pjs and climbed into bed. They pulled up the covers to their chins and settled into the blankets to watch a movie on the TV mounted on their bedroom wall. They decided to start the British version of _The Office_ since they'd seen the American version so many times but never watched the original.

They watched for a while, interested but ultimately jarred by the stark differences and not particularly caring for them. Halfway through the episode Mitchie had tuned out, and when she glanced at Alex she saw her wife was playing a game on her phone, not paying attention to the show at all.

"Al?" Mitchie asked quietly.

"Hmm?" Alex responded, her eyes not leaving her phone.

"Why'd you tell Shane we were gonna come home?" she questioned. "When I asked if you wanted to go you insisted you were fine and that we should stay."

Alex closed the game and set her phone aside so she could look to Mitchie and give her spouse her full attention. "Because I knew you were worried, and you wouldn't feel better until I was home in bed or at the doctor," she said with a small smile.

Mitchie returned it, touched that Alex cared about her unease more-so than her own well-being. "Well, you're not wrong," she said with a small giggle. "Thank you for humoring me." She scooted closer and rested her head on Alex's chest as the other woman's arm wound around her shoulder. "I do feel a lot better now."

"Good," Alex said and placed a kiss on the crown of her head. "You got scary for a second, there. I thought you were going to smack that kid who knocked into me."

"I don't know what came over me," Mitchie admitted, grimacing at the way she nearly made that teenager cry. "I just went into, like, Mama Bear mode."

"Ah, yes, Mama Bear mode. That'll do it," Alex said with a smirk. That was what they referred to as Mitchie's moments when her over-protective mother side came out. It was usually only when someone was messing with Sam. One time a kid was picking on Sam at school and the moment Mitchie found out she insisted that she needed to call the child's mother to put an end to it. She did, but later, after Alex had been able to calm her down enough to sound civil when placing the call. Another time it came out when a kid on an opposing soccer time purposely kicked Sam in the shin. Alex literally had to hold Mitchie back to keep her from storming onto the field. "God help anyone who is on the receiving end of a Mitchie-Mama-Bear-mode attack."

"I love extra hard, okay?" Mitchie sniffed. "It makes me crazy sometimes, I admit."

"That's okay," Alex said with a laugh. "I'm a little crazy, too, remember? I literally broke down this morning."

"Yeah, but your hormones are all out of whack, so you have an excuse," Mitchie said. "I just look like a nutjob."

"No, you don't," Alex insisted. "Love just makes us do crazy things."

"I guess so," Mitchie commented, smiling up at the Latina. "And I sure love you a hell of a lot, babe."

"I love you," Alex returned, and she leaned forward and kissed her wife softly, not able to stop herself from smiling into it.

* * *

 **Mama Bear Mitchie is the best.**

 **IMPORTANT PLEASE READ: Couple things going on. My hard drive is failing, so my computer is going back into the shop in a couple of days. Don't know how long it'll take to get fixed, but hopefully this will be the last time this happens. Also, I start work on my next gig Monday. I work in a fluctuating industry. I have been writing this over a period of months that I haven't worked regularly. I am about to go back to work, and it's going to be insane for me. 12-17 hour days, on my feet, nonstop. I will have very little time to write, and no energy or mental capacity to do so. That means this will most likely be my last update for a while.**

 **Fear not, I will not abandon this story. I just want you all to be aware my updates will be fewer and far between than they have been since I started writing. I apologize in advance, but ya girl's gotta pay bills. Take care everyone. I'll try to be back as soon as possible (but no promises).**


	19. Sushi

**Hello, all. Back with a new chapter. Enjoy.**

 **I do not own these characters or the shows they are from.**

* * *

Sometime into watching the British series of _The Office_ Alex fell asleep, and when Mitchie heard the rhythmic breathing coming from her wife she turned off the TV so she could read on her phone instead. Alex wasn't interested in reading up on what else to expect during the pregnancy because according to her once she'd lived through it with Mitchie there was no amount of reading that could compare to her real-life experience.

Mitchie, on the other hand, wanted to read as much as possible. During her own pregnancy she'd been so young, stupid, and scared. The one time she'd tried to read up on pregnancy when she'd learned she was expecting Sam she read something that freaked her out so badly she never dared to look into it again—preferring to be blissfully unaware. That wasn't the case this time around.

Maybe it was because it wasn't happening to her body, but she found the whole process fascinating. It was amazing how women's bodies adapted and changed in order to accommodate the miracle of childbirth. At sixteen she didn't have a complete understanding of what was going on in her uterus; she never took the time to truly educate herself because she wasn't ready to deal with the reality of it all.

But now she was excited, and she was curious to see what stage the baby was at during this stage of pregnancy. Various organs were forming, and the baby was growing every day. She still looked like a tiny alien no doubt, but Mitchie already loved that alien-like embryo more than life itself already.

After over an hour of scrolling her phone's battery began to get extremely low, and her charger was all the way downstairs. While nothing in her wanted to leave the comfort of their bed, Mitchie knew she needed to go and get it. If Sam would have been home with them, she probably wouldn't have worried about it so much, but he was still with Shane. What if he fell and broke his arm and she couldn't be reached because her phone died? Or if there was a car crash, or a fire, or any other kind of tragedy?

No, she needed her phone. And that meant unwinding herself from the warm blanket cocoon she and Alex had wrapped themselves in. While she wasn't fond of the idea, her concern for her son outweighed her laziness, so she rolled out of bed as quietly as possible.

Downstairs she found her phone chord where she'd left it in the kitchen and plugged it in. The sound of the door opening caused her to jump as she wasn't expecting company, but when the alarm didn't start going off, she figured it had to be a friend instead of a foe. Going into the living room, she discovered she was right. Caitlyn was standing there in the same outfit as the day before, looking like she'd slept in her makeup, holding various outfits on hangers.

"Dude, you really need to start knocking," Mitchie somewhat scolded. "You scared the shit out of me."

"I need your help," Caitlyn said, ignoring Mitchie's statement.

Mitchie paused to take a moment to look Caitlyn over and try to assess the situation. Caitlyn seemed tense and nervous, and Mitchie was starting to worry if her friend had slept at all.

"Cait, are you okay?" Mitchie asked, walking over to her friend and placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"I'm better than okay," Caitlyn said, a smile twitching at the corners of her lips. "I'm great, in fact."

Mitchie's eyes flicked over her friend, and she frowned with confusion. "Okay, you're gonna need to elaborate."

Caitlyn smirked as she said, "Nate and I hooked up last night."

The songstress's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and her jaw hung open slightly at her best friend's revelation. "I need details. Now!" She grabbed the tiny brunette by the wrist and pulled her to the couch, where she made them sit.

Caitlyn draped the clothes over the back of the couch while they got comfortable, facing each other. Mitchie tucked her legs under herself as settled herself in to hear every juicy detail. She tried to be as patient as possible as Caitlyn situated herself, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.

"So, what happened to 'he's like my brother,' huh?" Mitchie asked teasingly as she rested her arm across the back of the couch.

"More like a really hot step brother you fantasize about until one night you find out he fantasizes about you too, and at first you don't want to do anything about it, but then you fuck him anyway," Caitlyn said.

Mitchie stared at her for a moment in horror. "That's weird. What the fuck, Caitlyn? I am _begging_ you to stop watching Lifetime movies."

"It was a joke," Caitlyn said, laughing slightly as she shook her head with amusement. "I never really saw him as a brother. I've always thought he was cute. I just told you that I didn't like him because if you knew I did him you would have pushed me to pursue him, which you did even when I told you I _didn't_ like him."

"That is valid, I did do that," Mitchie said thoughtfully. "But you did like him, and obviously my advice was also valid because you clearly spent the night with him." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and tugged at Caitlyn's t-shirt from the day before.

"Yeah, well, it appears I may have you to thank for that," she said, narrowing her eyes at Mitchie. "Did you make Alex talk to Nate about me?"

Mitchie choked on her own spit at the accusation, and, coughing, she pounded herself on the chest. When she cleared her throat, she tried to put on her best to shrug nonchalantly. "No, I did not _make_ her… She did that of her of volition."

"Mitchie Catherine…" Caitlyn said slowly, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Mitchie winced reflectively at the use of her middle name. Caitlyn had asked her one day, and she'd told her without thinking much of it. But then Caitlyn started using it against her, and Mitchie regretted it ever since.

"So, it was obvious to me—and to Alex—that you and Nate were into each other," Mitchie began, avoiding eye contact with the slightly irritated woman beside her. "And since you were being a pain in the ass about it, we had to try to convince Nate to make the first move."

Caitlyn was silent for a moment, wishing she could be staring at her friend in disbelief. But somewhere deep inside she'd known. The setting up of the baby room, her and Nate being there together, Alex suddenly getting tired resulting in them leaving together. Mitchie had obviously been trying to nudge them towards each other; she knew it the moment the doorbell rang. That was what Mitchie did—she got involved, even when it wasn't her place. And while she should have been angry with her friend for explicitly going against her wishes and meddling, she wasn't all that bothered by it. Because she'd gotten what she wanted, though. She may have felt differently had Nate not returned her feelings.

"And what if you'd been wrong, Mitchie?" Caitlyn asked, frowning slightly. "What if I had been telling the truth, and then you got Nate's hopes up for no reason? Or what if he actually didn't like me, and I'd taken your advice and looked like a fool?"

"You gave him a boner, that's kind of self-explanatory, Caity." Mitchie said with exasperation. "And it worked out, so everything's copacetic."

"Mitch!" Caitlyn exclaimed and threw her hands up in exasperation. "That's not the point. You deliberately meddled in my life after I told you not to multiple times. While I know you meant well, you really overstepped, here."

"I know," Mitchie said, looking down to her lap as shame trickled into her stomach. "With everything going on with me and Alex, I guess I just got swept away. We're so happy right now, excited about this new chapter in our lives. I guess I pushed you on Nate because I want you to be this happy, too." She looked back up bashfully, thankful when she saw that Caitlyn's features had softened. "You're so amazing, and you have so much love to give. I just want you to find the right guy so you can have all the things I have—a loving partner you can grow with and maybe someday start a family. Because I know you, and you've always wanted that."

Caitlyn had to admit Mitchie had her there. Often times she regarded her best friend's family with envy. She longed to have someone to hold and call her own, and while being Sam's godmother was amazing, she'd always dreamed of being a mother someday.

"You're not wrong, but I need it to happen on my terms," Caitlyn said softy. She let out a heavy sigh and gave her friend a pointed look. "So, I'm letting you off the hook this time, but please never do anything like this ever again.

"Well, hopefully I won't have to now that you and Nate are a thing—"

"Mitch," Caitlyn warned.

The singer sighed as well. "Fine, I'll never interfere with your love life again. I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted," Caitlyn assured her with a smile before quirking an eyebrow playfully. "So, do you want to hear how it happened?"

"You know I do," Mitchie said with a wide grin. "Spill."

"Well, last night after we were leaving he asked me to hang out—watch Netflix, order takeout, have a few drinks," Caitlyn began.

"He got you drunk?" Mitchie asked, her smile dropping a bit. She knew Nate wasn't Shane in any way, shape, or form, but a chill still went down her spine at the mention of alcohol.

"It wasn't like that," Caitlyn said gently, patting Mitchie on the arm in a comforting manner. "I'm a consenting adult who knowingly chose to drink. Nate even explicitly told me I did not have to drink if I didn't want to. He even offered to let me stay in his guest room instead of just assuming I would go to bed with him. He was a complete gentleman, don't worry."

"Good," Mitchie said as she took in a relieved breath. That was comforting. For a second there she was seriously reconsidering her friendship with Nate.

"So, we start drinking, and there's a reason they call it 'liquid courage,' you know?"

"I've been drunk once, but I've heard that, yes," Mitchie said with a small nod.

"Well, it can make you say things you're normally too timid to say," Caitlyn said, looking down with a small smile. "He told me he thought I was hot, and that he'd liked me since my first summer at Camp Rock."

"I didn't know that," Mitchie said, eyebrows knitting together. "He never told me." Then again, why would he? Sure, they were friends, but they didn't talk about things like that. Music, movies, guitars, sure. Those were easy topics. But Nate rarely talked about his dating life or feelings, so there was no way of her knowing that. Not to mention Caitlyn was her best friend, and she doubted that put her at the top of Nate's list of people to confess his crush to. In fact, she was probably the last person Nate would have told. "Never mind, that was smart of him. I definitely would have told you."

"See?" Caitlyn said with a small laugh. "It was just really cute, and sweet, and normally I would never jump into bed with a guy so soon—"

"But?" Mitchie interrupted with a quirked eyebrow.

Caitlyn laughed again as she picked up her head. " _But_ it's Nate, and he's not some guy I just randomly met on the internet. He's good, and kind, and every time I think of him I either want to smush his cheeks together or suck his dick. There is no in-between."

Mitchie's face went red, and she bit her lip to hold back a laugh. This was a side of Caitlyn she hadn't seen in a while. When she first started sleeping with Gabe she'd been thirsty and horny, and their sex life was one of her favorite topics. After the breakup, though, Caitlyn had retreated into her shell. It was nice to see the dancer open up again.

"And did you?" Mitchie asked. "Suck his dick?"

"No," Caitlyn said, a hint of disappointment in her voice. "We kind of just went right into it. After we were done Nate fell asleep almost instantly." She shrugged. "Besides, even if we hadn't, I doubt he'd have been able to get it up again. With all the drinking we did I'm surprised he was able to get it up at all. Gabe always had trouble with that after getting drunk."

"He didn't seem to have a problem when he stuck it in that blonde bimbo," Mitchie said harshly. "Hadn't his excuse been it wasn't his fault because he was drunk?"

"I'd rather not delve into an in-depth analysis of the reason my ex-boyfriend cheated on me, if you don't mind." The brunette frowned deeply and shifted on the couch. "Gabe's in the past, and I'd rather look to my future—which has a date with Nate in it."

"Ah," Mitchie said, realization dawning on her. "Hence the outfits." She looked to the garments, running a hand over a wrinkle on a little red dress Caitlyn had brought over. "And needing my help."

"Yeah," Caitlyn said, her nerves coming back to her. Normally she wouldn't worry too much about what to wear, but this wasn't some unimportant Tinder date. This mattered, and she wanted everything to be perfect. "I'm excited, and happy, but I also feel like I'm gonna throw up." She shook her head and looked to the outfits she brought over. "I went home and just stared at my closet for, like, twenty minutes before I grabbed a few things and headed over here. I haven't been on a date in so long, I'm just so unprepared. I'm—I'm a mess."

"I can see that," Mitchie commented, eyebrows raised. "First things first, please go upstairs and take a shower."

"Good call," Caitlyn said, standing. She was about to leave the room when a thought occurred to her, and she looked around the room in confusion. "Where's Alex?"

"She's upstairs taking a nap, but when she wakes up I'll be sure to tell her how long it took you to acknowledge her absence," Mitchie quipped with a good-natured smirk.

Caitlyn stuck her tongue out in lieu of response before sticking her nose in the air and heading upstairs.

* * *

When Caitlyn emerged from Sam's bathroom wrapped in a Superman towel Mitchie was waiting in Sam's room with the outfit she'd selected sitting on the bed: a red, sleeveless blouse with a deep V cut, a black skirt, and black heals to tie it all together. Caitlyn didn't remember bringing the shoes, and she picked them up questioningly.

"These aren't mine," she commented.

"No, they're mine," Mitchie clarified. "You're a size seven, like me, right?"

Caitlyn nodded, smiling at Mitchie's memory. "Thanks."

"Sure," Mitchie said brightly. "Why don't you change, and I'll go grab my makeup and curling iron from our bathroom?"

"Mitchie, you don't have to go through all of this with me," Caitlyn said quickly.

"I want to," Mitchie said honestly. "I'm almost as excited about this as you are. Besides, after I stuck my nose where it didn't belong, it's only fair that I do your hair and makeup for you."

Caitlyn chuckled and nodded her consent. "Well, you are better at these types of things."

"Yup," Mitchie said quickly. "Now, _change_. We have work to do."

* * *

An hour later Caitlyn was dolled up and ready to go. Her hair was styled in finer, more controlled curls—a contrast to her natural mess of curls she usually just ran a brush through. Mitchie had given her a smoky eye and bright red lipstick, and the heels made her legs and butt look amazing.

She looked so good that it filled her with confidence, and her initial trepidations began to subside as her excitement grew. By the time she said goodbye to Mitchie so she could drive back to Nate's she was practically running out the door, promising to be back the next day to pick up the rest of her clothes and return the shoes.

Mitchie stood in the driveway and shouted warnings about making good choices and using a condom, and Caitlyn turned her car on and blared the stereo to drown her out. Then she was gone, and Mitchie went back inside and up the stairs to her and Alex's bedroom.

Her wife was still sound asleep, sprawled out on her back for a change. Mitchie shook her head as she went over to the bed and hovered over Alex. She gently shook her awake, evoking an annoyed wine of protest from the sleeping Latina.

"Babe, you have to get up, or you're not going to be able to sleep tonight," Mitchie warned in a soft voice.

"Bold of you to assume there's a limit to the amount of hours I can sleep in a day," Alex said groggily, smirking as she opened her eyes slowly and looked up at her wife.

"You're right, how stupid of me," Mitchie joked, and grabbed Alex's hand, tugging on it. "But seriously, come on, get up. We need to eat. I was thinking we could order in?"

"Sounds good," Alex said, perking up instantly at the promise of food. She sat up slowly, struggling a little because of her growing belly. "I'm craving sushi."

Mitchie's eyes widened. "Alex, you can't have sushi when you're pregnant."

" _What_?" The looked of horror on Alex's face was rival to one's reaction to someone kicking a puppy.

"Raw fish?" Mitchie shook her head. "Not a good idea."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" Alex asked with a pout as she crossed her arms over her chest like an angry toddler.

"I could have sworn you knew," Mitchie said honestly. "It's pretty common knowledge."

"Apparently not!"

"Al," Mitchie said with a groan. She'd had problems with getting Sam to agree to dinner before, and it was infuriating—especially on an empty stomach. She didn't want to start with her wife. "Just pick something else, anything else."

"I'm not hungry for anything else," the former wizard muttered, arms still tightly crossed across her torso.

Mitchie rolled her eyes and pulled out her phone. "Hold on," she said, pulling up google. Alex waited patiently as Mitchie clicked and scrolled, seemingly reading an article. "So, I was wrong—raw fish is safe to eat as long as it has low levels of mercury. Salmon and shrimp are the safest. And if you're still not sure, we can always get you veggie rolls."

Alex's pout vanished, and her whole face lit up with excitement. "So we can get sushi?"

"As much as your heart desires," Mitchie promised and leaned down and kissed the crown of Alex's head gently.

* * *

 **That's it for now.**

 **For those interested in connected with me on tumblr, my username is oncetwicethreetimesakatie.**


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